Sirius and Remus: Guardians of the Boy Who Lived
by Rouvas7x7
Summary: After James' and Lily's deaths, Sirius and Remus are left to raise Harry, whilst coming to terms with their love for each other. Will span the entirety of the HP series. Very dark and emotional.
1. Saving the Boy Who Lived

The night of October 31, 1980 was a gruesome and fateful night. In the small village of Godric's Hollow, the Potter family's home exist in crumbling ruins. James and Lily lay dead on the floor as their one and only son remained in his crib, frightened and whimpering, as he stared down at his mother's lifeless body. The night carried on and little did the child realize that multiple people were coming to his rescue. A twenty one year-old Remus Lupin apparated before the house and was horrified to see the broken door, which ostensibly implied that the dark lord had already paid his visit. Dressed in his typical brown pants with a grey sweater overtop, through the house he raced before he came across the lifeless body of his best friend, James.

"James," sobbed Remus as he placed his hand on his chest while his heart pounded within it. He nearly fell to the floor, but his backside leaned against the hallway's wall, saving him. "James…"

On Remus went, making his way to Harry's room where he saw Lily on the floor and the tears began to pour from his eyes even harder than they already were. He held his hand against his short, brown hair, pushing it back as he stared in utter bewilderment at the dead body before him.

"Lily, why couldn't I save you?" as he fell to his knees and stroked her beautiful red hair through his shaking hands. Remus turned his head in time to notice the spot where a whimpering Harry lay. Raising himself to his feet, Remus walked over to Harry. "Harry, my boy. I can only imagine what you've witnessed tonight. Let Uncle Remus take you away from this place," he consoled as he gently lifted Harry and cradled him in his arms. "Harry…"

Remus rushed out of the house to the dark street below. In the moonlight he stood, unsure of what to do next. He held Harry against his chest, breathing heavily. A gust of wind blew against his brown hair, pushing it away from his eyes, and he ran down the empty street before being stopped by someone who cared for Harry just as much as he did The man, initially startling Remus, was clothed in a black trench coat. His long, straight, black hair draped beneath his shoulders as he stood, staring at his best friend. The man was Sirius Black.

"Remus?"

"Sirius! They're dead! James and Lily! I rescued Harry, but I don't know how . . . how he's alive. The dark lord was nowhere to be seen. Sirius!" sobbed Remus as he stood near his former lover.

"Remus, you can't be serious. They can't be de… dead. I just don't believe it. Remus, tell me you're joking. Please, tell me you're joking!"

"I wish I were, but I'm not, Sirius. He killed them. Voldemort killed them."

"And what is to become of Harry?" questioned Sirius, whom was staring down at the fragile child's tiny body in Remus' arms. Remus looked in to his eyes - green to grey, and inhaled the cold autumn air in to his lungs, prepared to answer the fateful question in the most arbitrary way possible.

"I will take him and raise him, at least for now."

"Remus, he's my godson. If anyone should raise him, it should be me."

"Sirius…"

"Remus, James and Lily wanted him to be in my hands and I think that we ought to honor their will," said Sirius as he extended his arms out, but Remus was reluctant.

Sirius and he shared some what of what could be called a romance, from time to time, and this unfortunate circumstance provided the opportunity for the two men to truly and fully become a couple. This idea seemed to be the only joyous thought in Remus' head in the sea of darkness which flooded all the light from their lives in the current moment. He longed for Sirius' love, but due to personal problems and the war, their relationship seemed to be severed. Oh, how Remus longed for Sirius' mutual affection. Losing his train of thought, he nearly cursed himself for being so selfish at the present moment. How could he be worried about his feelings of lust and love in a time like this? Despite it, he still saw Harry's wellbeing as his priority. He tightened his hold over the tiny body in his arms as he began to speak.

"Sirius, you and I have shared a bit of what some may call a romance. Whether or not you still have feelings for me, I want to take care of Harry. I understand your protest and maybe, as a compromise, we can raise your godson together. We both can protect him as his sworn guardians. Even if you are not interested in my love, Sirius, I ask that you at least allow me to have a hand in raising the boy whom is just as much a godson to me as he is to you. Please, Sirius. At least consider what I am asking."

Sirius looked at the cold, stone pavement of the street as he took in his former lover's words. Shocked as he was from the current circumstances, Sirius did wish to protect Harry at all cost and with a bit of reluctance, gave in to Remus' plea.

"Remus, if I agree to this than we are doing this for Harry and not for our own selfish desires."

"I understand," said Remus. Although Sirius' words nearly struck his heart like a blade coated in venom, he still rejoiced at the thought of being able to raise his best friend's son as his own. "I won't allow what is between us to effect Harry. He needs both of us, Sirius. Seeing as though you are currently homeless, we must stay at my cottage in Yorkshire. It's not much, but it's enough and I believe that Harry will be safe there. First and foremost, we need to take him to Dumbledore and explain what's happened tonight."

"I agree. Let's apparate to Hogwarts now," declared Sirius.

The two men apparated and stood at the gates of Hogwarts' entrance courtyard. The castle they oh-so-loved was before them, under the light of the moon. Harry, still in Remus' arms, lay in absolute confusion as to where he was and what had become of his beloved parents. The familiar faces Moony and Padfoot seemed to comfort the infant to some degree or another for his whimpering had ceased. Remus kissed him on the forehead, still holding him tightly. Before the two men could even ring the doorbell, the grand doors opened and there stood Albus Dumbledore, the greatest sorcerer in the world. Dumbledore stood in his misty, grey robes with his hands delicately folded at his waist. He looked up at the two men as gaze of dissatisfaction and sorrow cursed his face. Remus and Sirius both knew that somehow, someway, he knew that James and Lily were dead.

"Come inside, my friends," spoke the great wizard as Sirius and Remus entered the entrance hall. "I see that you are holding Harry in your arms, Remus. I thank the two of you for retrieving him from the horrible scene. Come, I wish not to wake my students," said Dumbledore as he led the two of them to his office. Before stepping foot on the grand staircase, Sirius stopped Remus dead in his tracks.

"Remus, I wish to hold my godson," confessed Sirius in a voice which seemed to be attempting to conceal potential sobs. Remus complied, gently handing over Harry to his godfather. Sirius' stared down at Harry and with a sigh, he spoke to him. "Harry, I'll never let him hurt you. I'll never let Voldemort hurt you…"

Once in Dumbledore's office, the great wizard took a seat behind his desk. He gestured to the two men to sit in the two seats in front of the desk. Dumbledore paused for some few moments. The silence screamed the truth - James and Lily were dead and their one and only child was orphaned. In all the dark nights of Remus' life, never had his own issues brought him to such anguish. Sirius' grey eyes concretely focused on Harry, whom was now sleeping in his arms. Dumbledore opened his mouth to speak.

"I was a fool to consider sending Harry to his aunt and uncle's house. Oh, what dreadful people they are and their son, he's a lost cause. I've never heard of a child so abominable. My dear friend and your former professor, Minerva McGonagall, has spent time spying on them recently and that is how I know of their true nature. I can not put Harry in such a horrible home and live with my own conscience. Because of this, I see fit that Sirius raise the boy for he is his godfather after all."

"Harry is just as much a godson to me as he is to Sirius," asserted Remus in protest.  
"I agree," said Dumbledore. "That is why I want both of you to raise the boy. I know that the two of you have been known to have an on-again/off-again relationship of sorts. I, myself, have no problem with such a thing. I, myself, can even, in some ways, relate to such a relationship," said Dumbledore as he looked to the picture, which sat on his desk, of his younger self standing next to his former friend, Gellert Grindelwald. Upon hearing that, Remus' and Sirius' eyebrows rose in a synchronized action. "It is none of my business what the two of you do in your personal lives, but my concern is for Harry and I feel it best that he remain within the guardianship of the two of you. Both the parents of James and Lily are dead and James was an only child, as you know, and Lily's sister and her family are absolutely appalling. That is why Harry can not be sent to live with them."

"Albus," began Sirius. "Per the will of James and Lily, I will give my life to protect and raise Harry and I know that Remus would do the same. My good-for-nothing parents and brother are deceased and I may enter my old home, Grimmauld Place, at any time. I've been avoiding that place out of my own pride and grave disdain for my former family, but if it is a safe place to raise Harry than I will settle there and Remus may join me."

"That is very kind of you, Sirius. I want the two of you to be the fathers to Harry that James can no longer be."

"I will first need to go to my old house and renovate it for the sake of catering to a child and in that time, Harry will have to stay with Remus."  
"He will safe with me," assured Remus. "All that I am afraid of is that the ministry may frown upon someone like me raising a child. Someone with my condition," confessed Remus.

"Why should the ministry have to know about you raising Harry, Remus?" asked Dumbledore. "Just because you are a werewolf does not mean you are unfit to be a parental guardian. I trust you and I am sure that Sirius trusts you too."

"Thank you, Albus," said Remus, gratefully. "But how will we hide that from them. Surely, the media will be all over this story by morning."

"I will handle such burdens while you two focus on being good uncles to Harry," assured Dumbledore.

"Remus, I trust you completely and I will need your help in raising my godson. There's no reason why you should not be a part of his life," confessed Sirius. Remus smiled at him and it was the first and only time that Remus smiled all night.

"Now, I wish to discuss with the two of you the reason for why I believe that Voldemort was unable to touch Harry. It was love. When sweet, sweet Lily Potter cast herself in between her only son and the dark lord, she transferred to Harry every ounce of her power. I can sense the trace of the magic transfer upon Harry. By laying her life down for him, it unlocked a very deep magic, a very ancient magic… That magic which I speak of is love. Love, itself, is the very reason why Voldemort was unable to touch Harry. When he cast his signature curse from his wand at the poor child, the great magic which Lily had summoned, protected Harry and the curse must have rebounded, killing Voldemort. Now, I will admit that I do not believe him to be gone. He is broken, but not destroyed. I would not surprise me if he had made horcruxes in the potential case of his downfall. His spirit still lingers this earth as he waits for one of his servants to find him and restore him to his former self. That is why the two of you must guard Harry with your lives. The charm I placed on Lily and James, the fidelus charm, was not to be broken except in the case of the secret keeper's betrayal. I believe we know who it was that betrayed the Potters."

"Peter!" snapped both Remus and Sirius, simultaneously. After cursing his name, tears formed in Sirius' eyes. "It's my fault. It's my fault!" sobbed Harry's godfather. Remus placed his hand on his shoulder.

"Now, my dear Sirius, just tell as to why you feel it is your fault," said Dumbledore.  
"They… James and Lily… originally wanted me to be the secret keeper, but I was afraid that because of my lineage and the fact some of my relatives are Death Eaters, that I was too dangerous and target and that Voldemort would surely hunt me down and so, I rejected the opportunity and they made Peter the keeper. If I would have been the keeper than they wouldn't be dead!" shrieked Sirius as tears streamed down his face. Dumbledore's expression grew sad. It was lucid to all that Sirius was in grave pain for he felt responsible for a sin which was not of his committing.

"Don't fabricate the truth to blame yourself, Sirius," spoke Dumbledore, his words so soothing and delicate as they abraded against Sirius' crying.

"I... they're dead!"

Dumbledore raised himself from his seat and made his way to Sirius' side. He knelt down by his former student and wiped away the tears from his face.

"Sirius, my good man, there is no need for you to cry. It is not your fault. Peter was the one who betrayed your friends, not you. Don't cry, my friend; you might wake little Harry."

Upon those words, Sirius expression changed to one of determination and he stared down at the child, cradled in his arms, and vowed to guard Harry at all costs. "I promise you… that you'll grow up strong and happy with me and your parents will be so proud of you. I'll never let you out of my sight. Harry, I love you."

Dumbledore walked to the nearby window and gazed out it in to the night sky. His brilliant blue eyes glistened in the candlelight of his office and it reflected in the glass of the window. After a moment of silence, Dumbledore turned around and beside Sirius. He stared down at Harry.

"I will make it so that no Death Eater may touch Harry," said Dumbledore as he took his wand out of his robes. He then pointed the Elder Wand at Harry and began enchanting incantations of great complexity. These special charms, according to Dumbledore, were bound to protect Harry. "I can assure the two of you that my wand is no ordinary wand and that it's power can not fail. No Death Eater will be able to touch this child and if they do, they will receive excruciating pain. I will handle the ministry and all their nonsense. You two must protect Harry at all cost and raise him away from the prying eyes of the media. I want this boy to have a happy and normal life and you two will make excellent father figures to him. Harry will need the emotional support and I will warn the two of you that parenting is no easy task, especially to a child as young as Harry, but I know that you two are perfectly capable."

"Thank you for believing in us," said Sirius with a half smile on his face.

"You are welcome, my friend. Now, I have said all that must be said to the two of you tonight. If your plan is to move in to Grimmauld Place and raise Harry there, Sirius, than so be it. Until you fix the place to accommodate a small child, he will be in Remus' care. Remus, if you plan to move in with Sirius than so be it. All will be well and I will always watch over Harry, myself, from afar. Also, I will attend to James' and Lily's bodies. They will be buried in Godric's Hollow in a matter of days. It is getting late, so I now dismiss the two of you, but I will always be around. Remus, take Harry and care for him tonight and tomorrow. Sirius, do what you have to do and then meet up with Remus."  
Both men nodded their heads and left the office. They said little to one another on the way to the entrance courtyard, further contributing to the dead silence which the night had already bestowed upon the land. Once there, the two men gave each other an apprehensive look.

"Promise me that you won't take him out of your sight," begged Sirius.

"I can assure you that I won't," confirmed Remus. Upon those words, Sirius looked down at Harry for the final time tonight. He kissed him on the forehead as he handed him to Remus, whom bid him farewell before apparating away from this place. Sirius stood alone in the moonlight as a single tear ran down his cheek.

"Harry…"

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	2. Resolving the Calamity

Remus apparated before his house, which was located within a meadow of sorts, deep within a forest. The grand trees towered over the landscape, eclipsing all potential contact with the outside world. The small house, although a bit untidy, was sufficient for Remus and it catered well to his needs. Rapidly unlocking the door, he rushed inside with Harry cradled in his arms. The boy, now asleep, had no realization of what was truly happening on this gruesome yet draconian night. Remus left the rooms within the house dark and he had no intention of lighting them much at all. He delicately placed Harry upon the sofa as he rushed to the bathroom, shutting the door.

"Ugh," cursed Remus as he grinded his teeth. He slicked back his straight yet shabby brown hair as looked in to the mirror. Gazing by his own bloodshot eyes, he slammed his fist down upon the sink as he was still in utter shock of the night's circumstances. His best friend was dead and the man's child orphaned. "How could this happen?" questioned Remus to himself. His emotions were ambivalent, caught somewhere between frightened, angry, and sorrowful and he was not sure which he felt most. He splashed cold water in his face, remembering Harry. Immediately, he left the room and ran to his adopted nephew, once again cradling him in his arms. Sitting on the sofa in the dark parlor, he used his wand to ignite the fireplace before him.

"Incendio," cast Remus as the flames filled the hearth, barely illuminating the room whatsoever. Remus sat, holding his beloved Harrry, as he stared in to the flames which ostensibly acted as a metaphor for his love for Harry. The flames, like his love, were both crimson and ardent as they danced in the fireplace, casting shadows upon the walls of the room.

Remus stared down at Harry the entire time as he felt his grip upon the boy tighten more and more. This boy was all that he had left of his dearest friends, James and Lily. If raising this boy meant living with Sirius, so be it. Despite their conflicted love, Remus still loved Sirius, but was well aware that their relationship was vulnerable in multiple ways yet he still envisioned a bright future with the two of them living together and raising their beloved nephew, Harry.

"Harry, I won't let anyone harm you. Uncle Remus loves you," whispered the werewolf to the sleeping boy in his arms. For the longest time, Remus sat in the dark room, holding a sleeping Harry before silently ripping his shirt off and laying upon the sofa with Harry asleep upon his chest. He used his wand to extinguish the hearth before him and pulled a blanket over himself and the sleeping child.

Sirius apparated to the city of London. As he walked through the empty streets, the cold Autumn's air swept against his being, further cascading his sanity beyond his reach. James and Lily were dead and there was no changing it. With tears still in his eyes, young Black watched as the occasional careless drunk driver passed him as if they prepared to throw their lives away - something that Sirius wanted to do with his own. All he could think of besides the death of his closest friends was the fact that his godson was orphaned. Sirius was often thought of as irresponsible and a bit wild. It was likely that neither the ministry nor Remus would approve of him raising a child, at least not single-handedly. Without doubt, Remus was the more responsible one, but he was not the godfather to young Harry. Wondering why he was walking through the city when he had a motor vehicle which would not violate the Statute of Secrecy, Sirius uttered an enchantment and his infamous motorcycle appeared before him. The beautiful, black steel horse sat, ready for Sirius to rev its engine. He sat upon it and rode off in to the streets of London.

The night air complimented his negative emotions, running through his veins and causing them to quake via the pressure of anxiety. Sirius sped through the empty streets, apathetic to whether or not an on-coming vehicle crashed in to him for death did not seem to frighten him at all in the present moment. He ran lights and went beyond the speed limit, evading the prying eyes of police officers due to the late hour of the night and his own invisibility charm which prevented muggles from seeing him and his ride. Across London Bridge he rode, witnessing the city's reflection in the dark water below.

"I ride like the wind yet I still can't lose these emotions that haunt me," said Sirius to himself.

Sirius continued to ride the vacant streets of downtown London. In a city so vigorous and apathetic, he felt as though he should be dead. A living undead of sorts, the depression seared through his mind, numbing it, as anxiety flowed through the rest of his body and most extremely, his chest. He felt as though it was closing in, blocking all air from reaching his lungs, dooming him to suffocation. If only there was a way for him to bring back James and Lily, but it was knowledge to him that there was no such way.

"Harry," sobbed Sirius. "You need me and I need you, but yet you still have Remus. He can be a father to you. I'm too weak and unstable. James, I'm sorry that I'm going to fail you."

Without thinking, apparated to the top of a building. On the skyscraper he stood as he stared out at the city. The mechanical lights of London glistened as if they were an oasis in an infinite sea of darkness. Standing atop the edge, he looked downward. The fall was steep and if he were to jump, his spirit would surely be free from this miserable world. He longed for death for ostensibly, it was the one thing that could set him free from the mortal bounds of this pathetic world. In a world where cruelty and violence are so rampant, Sirius felt as though he was merely a figure in the game of living; only a pawn whose mission it was to get out of this life alive, not succumbing to the the blood-stained weapon of someone else, someone like Voldemort or the death eaters. Why would anyone want to be a part of such a sick game? If Sirius were to jump, he would surely see James again and Lily too… Breathing heavily, he grabbed his wand, pointed it skyward, and the green killing curse shot from it. The curse reflected in Sirius' grey eyes as he pondered why he had not just pointed the wand at himself and fired the curse. He slammed his hand down on the railing of the rooftop as a tear escaped from his eyes, falling placidly to the concrete.

"I wish I were dead…"

"Are you sure that's a good thing to wish upon yourself?" came a familiar voice from behind. Sirius knew that voice all to well to not recognize it.

"How could he be here?" thought Sirius to himself. Turning around, the greatest wizard in the world stood before him. Still in the very same robes he donned earlier, Albus Dumbledore stood just feet away from Sirius. His arms were crossed at his chest and he looked sternly yet delicately in to Sirius' eyes. Embarrassed, Sirius could not get himself to stare in to the brilliant blue eyes of Dumbledore.

"Why so ashamed, Sirius?" questioned Dumbledore.

"Headmaster, how did you know that I was here?"

"You are not hard to track, Sirius. When you were in my office earlier, I sensed great trepidation as well as uncertainty within you. Tell me, my friend, what troubles you so immensely?"

"I…. I just don't know if I am fit to be a father. I have doubts and I just… James, he's dead. He was the greatest friend I ever had and I can't imagine life without him nor Lily," confessed Sirius.

"My friend, the dead we loved never truly leave us. They're not truly gone and it was their will that you raise their son. Don't you wish to honor their desire?"

"I do, but I don't know if I can."

"I see no reason as to why you can't. Yes, I will admit that you are a bit irresponsible at times and have a certain disregard for the rules, but that is no reason to deny unto you the privilege of raising their only begotten son. You can learn how to become a more stable, parental figure and I'm sure that Remus will help you."

"Remus," whispered Sirius to himself as he began to further doubt himself. The mention of that name seemed to antagonize something even deeper within him, something truly introspective and personal. Dumbledore maintained the same serene expression upon himself which he always managed to somehow keep.

"Something beyond missing James and parental anxiety is bothering you, Sirius. I sense it and I want you to know that you may confide in me until your heart is content. I will listen with an open mind and I will not cast judgment upon you for it is not for me to judge," vowed Dumbledore. Sirius stuttered before halting his speech. The abrupt silence consumed the scene and it screamed the truth of the situation. Unable to hide that truth any longer, Sirius broke.

"I love Remus," confessed Sirius. Dumbledore was not at all surprised by this. He could only smile upon the damaged man before him. Sirius bowed his head in misery, expecting Dumbledore to be appalled by his "unnatural" form of eros, but Dumbledore said absolutely nothing and when Sirius maintained the courage to look upon Dumbledore, he was shocked by the smiling face looking upon him.

"Sirius, it is not whom we love that matters, but that we love."

"Society shuns this kind of love, headmaster. Some do for religious reasons, some do for personal reasons and it all just depends."

"Love does not have a gender nor a religion nor a race, Sirius. Does Remus know about your feelings?"

"To some degree. We have shared a bit of a romance from time to time, but because of the war, we've broken up."

"Well, now that the war is over, is there no reason for the two of you to rekindle your romance?"

"I don't know."

Dumbledore looked upon Sirius with such compassion and understanding because this kind of thing was not alien to him at all. Little did Sirius know that in Dumbledore's youth, he fell passionately in love with a beautiful young man whom he shared the greatest of friendships with. That young man's name was Gellert Grindelwald. How Dumbledore loved Grindelwald and the friendship they shared, but as time went on, Grindelwald became corrupted by dark forces. Dumbledore soon realized that his one true love was headed down a path which was best not followed and he, although reluctantly, admitted soon after that the bodacious blonde never truly loved him - he used him and exploited him for his genius. Grindelwald knew that Dumbledore was the greatest wizard of the age and he wanted the knowledge and the power to dominate the world.

After their falling out, Dumbledore was heartbroken and traumatized for the rest of his life and he never loved anyone else. He had not seen Grindelwald for many years, but as time went on, his lost love had amassed an army of followers and he used this dark army to terrorize Europe. Dumbledore watched from afar, knowing that his old friend had become malicious and put to wrong use the great knowledge he had shared with him. Grindelwald rained terror upon society and slaughtered millions. They said that the only one he ever feared was Dumbledore and that is why he stayed away from Britain. Feeling extreme guilt and sorrow as countless people died and knowing that in his youth, he was so blinded by love that he lost his moral compass and gave some of those malefic ideas to Grindelwald, Dumbledore knew that he had to act against his own feelings. Rumors had circulated that the tyrant Grindelwald had somehow attained a wand of great power unlike any other in existence and Dumbledore knew exactly which wand it was. Possessing the most dangerous and powerful wand in the world, Grindelwald was undefeated and anyone who dared to challenge him met death. Dumbledore, watched from afar as lost love made all the wrong choices and for personal reasons, adamantly avoided facing him, but due to the immense public outcry, he finally agreed to confront him and those who witnessed the event said that it was the most spectacular magic duel ever fought. Dumbledore was the better wizard and outsmarted him, disarming him and thus, defeating him claiming for himself the Elder Wand, which he now held in his very hands, as Grindelwald was locked away in life imprisonment. After all these years, the pain still tortured him, even as he stood before Sirius, consoling him.

"Sirius, if you truly love Harry and so does Remus than the two of you will be united by that mutual love and there will be no reason for why the two of you can not be together," asserted Dumbledore after his silent recollection of his own romantic tragedy. Sirius began to cry as tears poured from his eyes as the great wizard before him felt total sympathy. A catharsis of sorts, the dark haired man spoke no more through his tears for he only listened to what the wise man standing before him had to say. "You and Remus share a mission and that mission is protect and raise Harry. The two of you must give unto him the best childhood which he could ask for. I trust that neither of you shall disappoint me. Make James proud, my friend."

"Yes, Professor," said Sirius as he bowed his head, too ashamed to give Dumbledore eye contact.

"Look at me, Sirius," requested Dumbledore politely and genuinely.

Sirius raised his head reluctantly and met the eyes of the one standing before him.

"I trust in you and if there is anything you wish to say to me, I ask that you say it."

"Thank you for trusting in me," he sobbed, pulling himself together and trying to sound tough, but with a trembling voice. It sounded as though it was an attempt at confidence. Standing on his feet and with the wind sweeping through his shoulder-length, straight, black hair, he stared into Dumbledore's eyes, awaiting for him to speak.

"Now, it is getting late, Sirius. I must be getting back to Hogwarts. You must do whatever is necessary to make your old family home suitable for a young child such as Harry. I know you won't disappoint me. I bid you farewell for tonight, Sirius," said Dumbledore and instantaneously, he vanished from sight.

Alone on the rooftop, Sirius stared out at the London skyline, contemplating his future and his destiny. He would be bound to Harry as his guardian and if it meant living with Remus, so be it. Despite all the angst and unconfused feelings of their relationship, Sirius was determined to do what was best for Harry and if having an extra paternal figure around did that than the it was for the better.

Sirius made his way to Grimmauld Place, now abandoned and forgotten, wondering if the old family house elf was still there. How, he dreaded the thought of that thing's presence. Unlocking the door, he ventured in. Everything was pitch black until he found the old light switch, remembering just where it was and flicked it, illuminating the dirty old entrance room. Everything was covered in dust and it looked as though no one had stepped foot in the place for years. Expecting Kreature to pop out from nowhere, Sirius yelled.

"KREATURE!"

After a few moments of waiting, Kreature appeared on the floor before Sirius. The old house ef looked as though he hadn't bathed in years. His worn and torn sheet, as sorry of an excuse for clothing as it was, covered his naked body, which stood only about three feet in height.

"Master Sirius, how long has it been?" asked Kreature surprised.

"It's been quite awhile, Kreature. With my good-for-nothing family dead, I am moving back in here against my better judgment and I'm bringing with me my best friend and a child we're going to raise together. Oh, and both of them are half-bloods."

"Good-for-nothing, part mud blood outsiders coming in to the noble house of black," muttered Kreature under his breath. "If my mistress knew what you were doing…"

"Not another word, Kreature or I'll have you sacked."

Kreature scowled rather disgustedly, knowing that people lacking pure-blood heritage were entering the house of his noble mistress, the queen bitch herself, Sirius' mother.

"Tell Kreature, just who are these outsiders coming in to this place?"

"Remus Lupin and Harry Potter."

"Ah yes, Kreature heard about the dark lord's fall from power. It's already all over the news. The Potters are dead and you are going to raise their only son with the help of a werewolf. How touchin..." Kreature said sarcastically.

"Not another word, Kreature! Now I have to do some serious redecorating on this place before tomorrow afternoon," said Sirius as he glanced around the house. He stumbled across the portrait of his mother, whom began shouting at him. Sirius picked up the portrait and threw it in the trash, causing Kreature to have a panic attack.

"Filthy pure-blood bitch," declared Sirius aloud. Kreature stood next to the trash can, panicking. "Dispose of her in the incinerator. Throw her out," ordered Sirius. Kreature scowled once again, unwillingly taking the trash bag that contained the portrait of Sirius' mother and throwing it in the incinerator in the basement. Along the way, the portrait shouted obscenities and cursed Sirius, calling him "no son of mine" and "blood traitor." The old house elf kept muttering things to himself as if he was gravely ashamed of what he was doing. Sirius made out "My mistress, I'm sorry..." from the troubled slave.

All the furniture was old and worn and covered in dust. It was blatant to Sirius that Kreature surely did not care to clean much. Sirius used his wand to perform cleaning charms which began to eradicate much of the dust plaguing the house. The furniture was old and dark leather, almost resembling a sixteenth-century home.

"All this needs to go," thought Sirius to himself. "Let's modernize this place a bit… Kreature!"

"Yes, master."

"Because I have a child who is going to be living here and I don't particularly trust you around him nor do I want you scaring him, I want you to go work at Hogwarts for the time being. I'm sure Professor Dumbledore could use another house-elf in the kitchens below the great hall."

Kreature scowled more than ever before... "Ugh…" he moaned through his teeth.

Sirius began writing a letter addressed to Dumbledore, requesting that he take Kreature in, at least for a while. He gave it to Kreature and told him to be on his way to Hogwarts, telling him to specifically give the letter to Professor Dumbledore.

"And don't poison any of the students' food!" ordered Sirius just before he prepared to leave, to which he gave one final scowl at hearing his hated master's final order before he vanished.

Alone in the house, Sirius walked around, exploring the now empty house. He made his way to his old bedroom, expecting everything to have been taken out by his family after they disowned him, but to his great surprise, everything was just as he left it when he was young.

His attention was particularly captured by a portrait upon his bedside nightstand. The portrait was of himself, standing next to James and Remus. Peter was not in the photograph, thankfully. If he was, Sirius would have cut out his figure from the photograph anyway. Three boys looked as though they only third years at Hogwarts. What a miraculous and joyous time in Sirius' life it was. If only things could go back to being that easy, but Sirius knew that they could not. Sirius stared at the photograph for a while, tears forming in his sparkling, grey eyes. He eventually sat the photograph back on his nightstand before he left his room and continued his cleaning of the house. In the morning, he would surely go to Diagon Alley to shop for new furniture. He found some old wine in a cupboard down in the kitchen and took it with him, occasionally chugging it down his throat as he attempted to cope with the current circumstances of his life. Around three thirty in the morning, he passed out on the sofa in the parlor.

The dawn broke as the sun prepared to rise in to the morning sky, dominating the British landscape and bringing light to the dense forest in which Remus called home. He awoke, still with Harry asleep on his chest, and lay there in a state of embrace as he held the boy whom he would see as his son. The sparrows were singing their typical song, signaling the arrival of the new day. Feeling introspective, Remus rose from the sofa and walked outside in to the meadow. Through the tender grass, he walked barefoot as the morning chill swept against his naked chest. A stag and a doe were grazing some yards away from him and when Remus saw the creatures, he was almost brought to tears.

"James, Lily…" said Remus as he held Harry. The two creatures stared at him as he walked placidly towards them, but seemed to be unafraid for they ceased to flee. "Harry, if only you were old enough to understand what the significance of these creatures are... Your mum and daddy must be watching over you, Harry."

Harry opened his eyes for the first time to witness the meaningful sight. He stared at the two creatures whose expressions were mutual. Just as Remus approached the two of them, the doe stepped forward, bowing her head to Harry and the stag was just behind her, following suit. Harry, barely awake, showed no fear towards the two creatures and stretched out his hand towards the doe and he petted it, Remus noticed a peculiar sensation in its eyes - they were glistening. Remus saw Harry's emerald eyes, his mother's eyes, reflect within the doe's eyes. With an unexpected gust of wind, the two placid creatures ran in to the trees and Harry held out his hand as if he did not want them to leave. Remus kissed him on the forehead. Harry, whom had his face buried in Remus' chest, made almost no sounds whatsoever. Remus stood as the morning chill stimulated all his bodily senses while he stared at in to the dawn, still holding Harry in his arms. Remus felt the tender embrace of the child he loved and inhaled deeply. After a few minutes, he went back inside the house, shutting the door and locking it so as to prevent intruders from potentially violating his territory.

Remus laid Harry down upon the sofa. He put on the same grey, button-up shirt he wore the previous night and got himself a cup of steaming, hot tea as he sat at his kitchen table, contemplating the draconian reality of his life.

"The media will be all over the story of what happened last night," whispered Remus to himself, sipping his tea. Remus sat there, trying to evaluate his emotions in their raw, stripped, true states and emotionally preparing himself for fatherhood. He ran his hand through his brown hair, wondering hust how stressful the day would be. "Damn, I need some chocolate…"

Around ten, Sirius apparated to Remus' house. Dressed in black pants and a black leather jacket that concealed a Led Zeppelin t-shirt, Sirius stepped foot on the door mat. Remus, with Harry on his lap, was sitting on his couch and reading a book of wizarding fairytales to the young child. When the doorbell rang Remus sensed Sirius' presence and got up to allow him in. Sirius, walking in to the house, examined his surroundings. Remus was holding Harry and Sirius stared in to Harry's emerald eyes, Lily's emerald eyes…

"Well, the whole wizarding world knows that You-Know-Who is dead," said Sirius as he threw down a copy of the Daily Prophet upon the coffee table. "Rita Skeeter herself wrote the front page article, so you can only imagine how reliable it is."

"Really?" said Remus as he glanced down at the paper, meticulously reading every word of the opening article. "Bull shit…"

"Well, how'd the night go?" asked Sirius.

"For the most part, it was fine. Harry really didn't make much of a fuss. I don't even know if he realizes that James and Lily are gone for good."

"Well, he will eventually when he enough time passes by and he sees that they haven't come back to him," replied Sirius.

"I know and I'm rather dreading that time," admitted Remus.

"We'll deal with that time when it comes, but I wanted to tell you that I spent last night and this morning cleaning Grimmauld Place. Also, I got rid of Kreature."

"You mean that old, rude house-elf who's in love with your dead mother and hates everyone else?"

"Yep. I sent him off to Hogwarts. He's going to work in the kitchens, preparing food and cleaning with other house-elves. Maybe he'll make some friends for the first time in his life."

Remus expressed an awkward glance at Sirius.

"Well, if that house-elf nwas as nasty as you claim, maybe it' better that he's not around Harry," said Remus.

"Obviously," replied Sirius. "Well, I'm going to go to Diagon Alley to buy new furniture and all kinds of junk we'll need to accommodate Harry. Are you coming with me or would you rather spend the remainder of the morning alone with him?"

"You know I'm not really one who likes to go out in public much, Pads. Although, I suppose I should go with you regardless, but who's going to watch Harry? We can't take him out in public after the events of last night. It will be a media frenzy."

"Maybe Hagrid can watch him."

"We can ask," said Remus.

The two of them apparated to Hogwarts and stood outside Hagrid's Hut. Hagrid was in his garden, harvesting pumpkins. The large, bearded man turned his head to see Sirius and Remus standing there with Harry.

"Whataya the two 'a yeh need? 'Arry, is that you?" said Hargid as he rushed over to Harry.

"Yes, it is, Hagrid," began Remus. "We need to ask a favor of you. We are going to Diagon Alley today to tend to errands. We need to furnish our new home and buy supplies for raising a child. We don't want to take Harry out in to public yet for obvious reasons. Would you mind watching him for a few hours?"

"Well, I got some Hogwarts business to tend to today, but I suppose I could for a little while. How long yeh two gonna be?"

"No more than two hours," confirmed Remus.

"Well, it shouldn't be a problem than," confirmed Hagrid as he reached out to hold Harry in his arms. Harry dozed off again and was asleep. "When he wakes up, I'll teach him about hippogriffs and unicorns and centaurs and mermaids and maybe I'll even take 'im up ter Professor Dumbledore's office and show 'im his pet phoenix, Fawkes," laughed Hagrid.

"Thank you, Hagrid, but please just be careful," stated Remus.

"Okay than," said Hagrid.

"Sirius, we really need to be on our way now," alerted Remus.

Sirius had his turned towards the mountains, which sat under the gloomy, autumn sky. The wilderness was vast, wild, and untamed. Sirius almost contemplated running away to those mountains and living off the land like the Native Americans he had read about in history books.

"Fine," replied Sirius.

That morning, Sirius and Remus went to Gringott's Bank and withdrew quite a large sum of money. They went about Diagon Alley, prepared to buy a lot of new furniture and other things to make Grimmauld Place truly a home. The streets of Diagon Alley were full of witches and wizards, overjoying and bursting with glee upon the news of the dark lord's downfall. Harry Potter's name was everywhere and Remus and Sirius kept overhearing people refer to him as "The boy who lived."

At the furniture store, Sirius and Remus bought new dressers, a dark-wood dining room set, a rather comfortable parlor set, and of course, a nursery set for Harry. Remus and Sirius stopped to eat lunch at the Leaky Cauldron before returning to Hagrid. Remus was startled to see Harry sitting on top of a unicorn. He was giggling and Hagrid stood on the side smiling with his hands on his hips.

"Hagrid! What is he doing on that thing?" exclaimed Remus as he swooped Harry in to his arms.

"Oh, Remus, we're jus' havin' a little fun. I'm teachin' him about magical creatures and I thought maybe he'd like ter see a unicorn."

Remus was speechless and Sirius scratched his head, staring at Hagrid.

"Welp, he was a good, little boy. Didn't give me any trouble whatsoever," said Hagrid. "Professor Dumbledore came by. He's going to stop by Grimmauld Place tonight and meet with the two of you ter discuss some matters. Yep."

"Well Hagrid, thank you for watching him," said Remus, still petrified over the sight of Harry sitting on a unicorn. "We'd best be going now."

"Well, good luck ter the two 'a yeh. I might be around to come see how yer doin'. Bye Harry. Hope yeh had fun today," said Hagrid joyously as he waved to Harry.

"Goodbye, Hagrid," said Remus as he and Sirius apparated to Grimmauld Place, prepared to spend the rest of the day cleaning. Sirius made it clear that his first order of business would be to dispose of the dreadful house-elf heads, which hung in the hallway. They would surely frighten Harry to no end if they were to remain.

"Harry, this is your new home," said Sirius.

Remus and Sirius sat down Harry in the parlor as the two of them prepared to clean the house and make it suitable and livable. A few hours went by and Harry was strangely quiet for most of the time with the exceptions of when he was hungry or needed a changing. By the late afternoon, the place began to look decent. It was decided that the spare bedroom upstairs, which no one ever used would be Harry's. Sirius would use his old room and Remus would take Regulus' old room. It was decided that no one would use Sirius' parents old room for Sirius dreaded the thought of anyone having to sleep in the room where those two frequently had sex.

"The new furniture should be here tomorrow," reminded Sirius.

"I'll be moving some of my things from house here too," said Remus. "I plan on keeping that house protected and hidden just in case we ever need to return to it for whatever reason. We could even use it as a summer vacation home."

"In the middle of the forest…" interrupted Sirius as he stared at Remus awkwardly.

"Why not?"

"Because it's the woods. What's there to do there?"

"You'd be surprised. A lot of things," laughed Remus.

"Whatever," sighed Sirius.

That night, the door bell rang and both of the men had an idea of who it was and they were right. Albus Dumbledore entered the house and took a seat on the sofa in the parlor. Sirius sat next to him and Remus sat on an old armchair by the sofa.

"Professor, what can we do for you?" asked Remus.

"I've come to speak to you about Harry. My suspicions were correct and the entire wizarding world now knows about him. All over the world, wizards and witches are talking about the fall of the dark lord and how a mere infant with no prodigious talent was able to decimate him. It's best that Harry grows up away from all that. I want the two of you to avoid taking him out in public as much as possible. You may take him to muggle places if you so desire or to the homes of any close friends or relatives of your's, but I strongly advise against places like Diagon Alley. Also, Hogwarts will always be there to welcome the three of you home if you so desire it. I have asked my professors to be on high alert for any suspicious activity they may witness for it is no secret to me that some death eaters do have children ateending Hogwarts, particularly in Slytherin House."

Sirius laughed at the mention of Slytherin.

"Does that surprise you?" asked Sirius. Dumbledore rolled his eyes.

"Moving on, I wish to notify you that Kreature is now at Hogwarts and he is doing just fine, working in the kitchens. He seems to be rather angry though and frequently curses you, Sirius."

"Serves him right," laughed Sirius. "I'm glad to be rid of him. Dumb elf…"

"Professor Dumbledore, I wanted to ask for your assistance in providing the proper enchantments upon this place," interrupted Remus.

"Agh, yes, Remus. I wish to cast enchantments upon this place, myself. I will be placing spells of great complexity upon it to ensure that no unwanted guest may ever enter it," said Dumbledore.

"Go right away, headmaster," said Sirius.

"You two must understand that many of Voldemort's followers will be out to kill Harry for ruining their master. That is why he must constantly be under our watch."

"I agree, headmaster," said Remus.

That night, Remus and Professor Dumbledore cast many great enchantments over the house wile Sirius continued cleaning. Before long, there another knock at the door and Sirius wondered if it was Hagrid. He answered the door and to his great surprise and utter disgust, a man in a long, black trench coat stood there. His hair was shoulder length and black as night, but was very greasy and shone in the moonlight. His dark eyes met Sirius' grey eyes. It was Severus Snape.

"What do you want, Snivellus, and how the hell do you know where my house is?" smirked Sirius.

"I came by Professor Dumbledore's request," spoke Snape. It was axiomatic that Sirius desired to slam the door in Snape's face and leave him to go away.

"Don't you have some death eater meeting to be attending, Snivellus?"

"I no longer work for Voldemort," said Snape.

"I'm sure," replied Sirius.

Dumbledore walked to the door and saw Snape.

"Agh, yes, Severus, I invited you. Sirius, I request that you put your school-days rivalry behind you and invite Severus in for a few minutes, at least," spoke Dumbledore.

"Fine," said Sirius disgustedly. Snape walked in and stood in the entrance room, glancing around and awaiting for Dumbledore to speak.

""Sirius, Severus no longer works for Voldemort. He swore his allegiance to me and had worked as a spy against the dark lord. Sirius, I trust him and I believe that you should as well."

Sirius remained silent and turned his head away from Dumbledore and Snape.

"Headmaster, I suggest that we train these two men in occlumency to prevent death eaters from ever entering their minds," suggested Snape in his usual cold tone.

"Yes, Severus. I think that that is very wise. What do the two of you say to that?"

"What's occlumency?" asked Sirius.

"It's the protection of the mind from external forces," replied Remus. "I, being a bit of an expert in the dark arts, am not unfamiliar with it. I have practiced, myself."

"Also an expert in the dark arts as well as in the noble art of alchemy or as some call it 'potion-making," I am quite skilled at it. How else do you think I protected my true allegiance to Dumbledore when I felt that the dark lord was growing suspicious of my actions?" said Snape.

"Precisely," said Dumbledore. "I want Sirius to be trained in occlumency just in case a death eater tries to make their way in to his mind."

"Remus can teach me," said Sirius with his arms crossed over his chest. Dumbledore again rolled his eyes.

"Sirius, don't be so rude," ordered Remus.

"If Mr. Black is that uncomfortable to be around me than very well. Mr. Lupin may teach him," said Snape. Sirius scowled.

"Let's act like adults, shall we?" interrupted Remus.

"Well, we must place a new fidelus charm over this house and the two of you will need a secret keeper," began Dumbledore. "I am willing to be your secret keeper."

"Excellent, headmaster," said Remus.

For the next hour or so, they continued to ward the house so that no one could enter it or even find it without an invitation. Snape helped them, much to Sirius' disgust. Sirius sat in the living room with Harry and pretended that Snape was not actually in his house. Around the nine o'clock, all was finished and Dumbledore and Snape were ready to leave. Stnading just before the front door, Snape and Dumbledore stopped to remind Sirius and Remus of one thing.

"Sirius, Remus, I wish to inform the two of you that James and Lily's bodies have been taken care of. The funeral will be in two days. They will be buried in Godric's Hollow. Whether or not you choose to bring Harry to his parents' funeral is entirely your choice," said Dumbledore. Upon the mention of Lily, Snape looked down at the floor and became very silent.

"We'll be there and I feel that Harry deserves to see his parents one final time," said Sirius.

"Very well than," said Dumbledore. "We'll see you than," and Snape and Dumbledore left the house and vanished in to the night.

"I forgot about the funeral," said Sirius.

"I know," said Remus.

For the rest of the night, Sirius and Remus sat in the parlor, venting and discussing their lives. Harry was long asleep and it wasn't until the middle of the night that Sirius and Remus both fell asleep in the parlor, each haunted by dreams involving an orphaned Harry and his deceased parents. The next day, Sirius and Remus stored away in the attic much of the old furniture. That afternoon, the new furniture arrived and Sirius and Remus spent the afternoon tidying everything up.

"Well, this place is pretty nice now," admitted Sirius.

"Yeah, we've worked very hard on it the past few days," said Remus.

Sirius and Remus relaxed for the rest of the day, while catering to Harry's needs when necessary. Each of them were dreading what was to come in the next day.

The next morning, Sirius was dressed in a black suit and Remus in a grey one. In the small church of Godric's Hollow, a ceremony was held for the Potters and many familiar faces were there including Albus Dumbledore, Minerva Mcgonagall, Filius Flitwick, Pamona Sprout, Rubeus Hagrid, Horace Slughorn, Poppy Pomfrey, old school mates, colleagues and acquaintances of James and Lily, and to the great surprise of Sirius and Remus, Snape. He sat in a black trench coat with a black dress hat atop his head in the very back of the congregation. Dumbledore went up to speak before everyone, delivering the eulogy that neither Sirius nor Remus could get themselves to recite before everyone.

When it came time to view the bodies, Sirius and Remus walked up to them, each with tears in their eyes. Sirius was holding Harry and the child stared adamantly at the bodies of his parents, especially of his mother. Her eyes were closed and Harry could no longer look in to her green eyes. At first, it was ostensible that Harry was joyous to see his parents and he was expecting them to jump up from the strange "beds" they were laying in, smiling and laughing before they would wrap him in their arms and take him back to the home he knew in Godric's Hollow, but after a minute or so, Harry's smile disappeared from his face and he looked worried and concerned.

"Mommy…" muttered the one and a half year-old child. Sirius and Remus looked at one another, each fighting back tears of their own before walking away.

At the burial, Sirius and Remus watched as the closed coffins were lowered in to the ground. The cold November wind swept across the graveyard, chilling the spine of all whom were in attendance as they walked through grass and among the graves to their destination. Not far from the grave of Ignotus Peverell, the site for James and Lily's bodies was dug. Harry could only stare at the traumatic event as his new guardians wondered if he at all understood what was going on and that he would never again see his parents.

After the funeral, Sirius and Remus returned home and were silent for the remainder of the afternoon, barely speaking even to one another. Harry was laid in his room while his "uncles" reflected on their relationships with James and Lily and their future as parental guardians to Harry.

"We'll get through this," promised Remus as he patted Sirius on the back before going to make dinner.

"I sure hope so," said Sirius, his voice breaking as he dried his eyes.

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	3. A Sentimental Winter Heart

For the next few days, Remus and Sirius attempted to adjust to parenthood the best that they could. It was no secret to them that it was bound to be a long and strenuous process, which would deprive them of many valuable hours of rest as well as personal leisure time. They both knew exactly what they were getting themselves in to by raising Harry and vowed t tolerate all the hardships including sleepless nights, restless days, and tenderly nurturing a growing child whom was not even their own.

Despite all the demands of parenthood, Remus had an extra motivation, which made him want to stay around even more so and that motivation was Sirius. Slthough Harry was his first priority and the main reason he stuck around, Remus loved Sirius and wished for him to return those feelings of romantic attraction. Remus dreamed of the day when he and his love could be married, raising Harry as their own child and embarking a blissful life together. It would be just the three of them living together and nothing else mattered. Although Sirius meant an awful lot to him, Harry was the most important thing in his life and even if he didn't love Sirius, he would still be living with the two of them for the sake of Harry's wellbeing. How exactly would he confess his feelings to Sirius? It was a mystery that he felt unable to solve in the current circumstances of his life, but he trusted that in time, the right moment would come…

"Oh, Harry," said Remus as he held the sobbing child in his arms, giving an honest attempt at consoling the confused young lad. It was blatant that Harry did in fact remember James and Lily and he missed them. He kept calling for his mother and Remus did his best to bring comfort to the troubled child. "Harry, uncle Sirius and uncle Remus love you…"

He paced through the hallway, demonstrating a father's love to the young boy he held. Sirius was away for the afternoon, doing errands out in Diagon Alley. Remus had been alone with Harry for a few hours now and was anticipating the return of Sirius to help him with the child, whom was having serious issues with dealing with the absence of James and Lily. Harry had been restless all afternoon so far, but his guardian would not even so much as think of leaving him for he loved him far too much, with or without Sirius around.

"Mommy…"

Harry, my boy, you have two uncles who love you and are going to raise you from now on. Mommy's looking down at you from Heaven."

The child was restless and the werewolf did his best to soothe his pain over the loss of his parents. He finally fell asleep and Remus laid him to bed in the nursery, before going down to the kitchen to eat something. He had been so busy with Harry all afternoon that he didn't manage to have time to cook himself lunch.

"I need some chocolate…" and he found a chocolate bar and devoured it. It was his favorite.

Not much later, Sirius walked through the front door and found Remus resting on an armchair in the parlor. Sirius, taking off his coat, sat on the sofa and asked him how the day was.

"Harry is finally realizing that his parents aren't coming back," he declared. "He's having trouble coping with it, but I would think that any one and half year-old would. I remember when I helped Lily to watch him when James and you were away that time. Lily had such a special way with him and I'm trying to copy how she was towards him - gentle, compassionate, nurturing. It still doesn't make him forget that we aren't his real parents though," sighed Remus.

"I know. We just have to do the best that we can with him and hope that he warms to us. I think he will. Just give him time. When he gets a little older and understands what an animagus is, maybe he can play with me when I transfigure myself in to Padfoot and he'll love having a dog around," said Sirius.

"I don't intend on explaining my condition to him until he's older. I don't want to scare him while he's so young. If he knew that one of his parents is a werewolf, it might frighten him to be around them," replied Remus.

"He'll love you and accept you as you are, just like I have," responded Sirius with a smile.

"Thank you. That means a lot. It's not easy being a werewolf. Every job I apply to, they question me when I say I can't work certain days of the month and than when they realize what I am, they shun me away. And if by some miracle of heaven, I do manage to slip it past them that I am what I am and I get the job, they eventually find out somehow and I'm fired. That's why it's been so hard for me to keep a job and it is really self-degrading."

"I feel you, Moony. Just know that I won't ever turn my back on you, pal. We go back way too far for me to ever do such a thing and I want you to know that being a werewolf does not define you. There is so much more to you than your condition and I'm not just saying that. I mean that," said Sirius.

Upon hearing such a wonderful compliment, Remus lonely heart nearly overflowed with joy for the first time in a long time. No one had ever told him such a beautiful thing even though he already knew that Sirius accepted him for what he was and so did James and Lily and even that rat, Peter. They were the only ones whom truly understood what he was and loved him regardless of some irrelevant condition.

"You're one a kind. You truly are."

"Damn right I am," said Sirius, whom was now laying upon the sofa, reading some rock 'n roll music magazine.

"I wonder how Kreature's been adjusting to life at Hogwarts," said Remus.

"Who cares? Didn't Dumbledore say he was fine, but he frequently curses my name under his breath?" asked Sirius.

"Yeah," laughed the werewolf.

"There's a million things wrong with that elf," the Black heir spat, rolling his eyes.

Remus smiled and stared at him. The two of them sat and talked for the rest of the night, making amiable conversation with one another and empowering their already unbreakable bond as friends that has existed since they each were only eleven or so years old. It was as if the division made between them in the past year or so with all the tension of the wizarding war and what it did to their on-again/off-again romantic relation had never happened. When Remus looked upon the face of Sirius, he saw his blood brother and Sirius felt mutual. The two of them laughed and talked about life, Harry, quidditch, and personal insecurities, diving in to in-depth discussions about the said topics and proving just how ardently adamant and loving their bond is. They were only interrupted by the awakening of Harry, whom they could hear.

"I'll take care of him," volunteered Remus as he left the parlor to tend to his beloved "nephew."

Sirius began to feel content with life, despite his previous suicidal feelings and tendencies. He loved Remus and wanted Remus to know the truth of his emotions, but he felt as though it was not yet the right time for him to confess such feelings of passion and eros to his blood brother.

"I'll wait a bit longer and I'll see if he shows any signs of still having feelings for me," he thought to himself as he brushed his long, black hair away from his face. "Remus can give me the love that my own family never gave me. He can give me so much more and like Dumbledore said, he and I will be united through our mutual devotion to Harry. Even though he's is a priority of mine, I still hold in highest regard Harry. Even if Remus wasn't in the picture, I would still be raising him on my own because it is what James and Lily wanted and I wouldn't ever want to let them down."

Fifteen minutes or so later, Remus returned to the parlor, sitting back on his chair and Sirius looked at him.

"Is Harry alright?"

"He's fine. I calmed him and than I laid him back to rest. This fatherhood thing is really stressful, but I think it's entirely worth it. I go to sleep every night feeling accomplished. For the first time since my Hogwarts days, I feel like I really do belong somewhere."

"James and I were the ones who made your Hogwarts days worth living, weren't we?"

"The two of you were and to some extent, Peter., but I've been trying to block him out of my mind because he really sickens me."

"Don't mention that rat's name around me," spat Sirius in a deathly tone. "I can't believe they still haven't caught his sick, little ass. If I could see him than I'd strangle him to death, myself and I'd throw his body in a sewer and let the rats eat it. He should feel right at home there."

"I don't usually condone violence, but I can't say that I disagree with you, Sirius."

"Damn straight. I'd kill him if I had the chance."

"Amen to that," replied Remus as he raised his chocolate bar to Sirius.

"Never again will I trust someone so easily. I need to really know someone before I let them in to my life and right now, the only ones I trust are you and Harry. And than Dumbledore and because their associated with him, Mcgonagall and Hagrid and the other Hogwarts professors."

"I know you don't trust Snape," said Remus.

"Why would I trust Snivellus? He's got Death Eater written all over him."

"Dumbledore trusts him and apparently he's the one told Dumbledore that You-Know-Who was after the Potters. He's become Dumbledore's spy," said Remus as he tried to convince his roommate to at least try trusting Snape.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm sure. I say once a Death Eater, always a Death Eater," scowled the Black heir as his roommate sighed at him.

"Well, moving on… Christmas is coming up next month. I'm already thinking about what to buy Harry."

"Oh, I'm gonna spoil that child rotten," Sirius smiled in an edgy tone.

"Sirius, we need to properly instill discipline within Harry and we can't spoil him too much or he might turn out a brat like Lily's sister's son."

"Rubbish. No godson of mine is going to turn out like that swine, no matter how much I spoil him. Plus, I need you to come with me when I buy him all kinds of crazy stuff so you can help me pick out some of it."

Remus' heart warmed at the thought of it - Christmas shopping with Sirius for Harry.

"Besides, I need someone to carry the presents…" continued Sirius. Remus grinned.

"Well, I guess we can indulge in it at least once a year," agreed Remus somewhat reluctantly.

"Hell yes," said Sirius. "And we'll need to get him an electric guitar, a microphone, a drum set, a keyboard, and a bass guitar. All the things necessary for him to become a talented musician in a rock band."

"Sirius, he's not even two yet. Maybe when he's older..."

"My godson's gonna be bigger than The Beatles. I'll make sure of it and nothing's going to stop me from achieving that dream. Not even the British government themselves. Anarchy in the UK! Damn, I love the Sex Pistols."

They continued their conversation in to the early hours of the morning and they both passed out right where they were, ceasing to leave the parlor. Harry was relatively quiet until a bit after the break of dawn and Sirius went to tend to his godson, delicately catering to his current needs and smothering him in a love that would rival the love that James had given to him. By now, Harry was finally growing accustomed to Remus and Sirius. His crying for James and Lily had began to cease and it was apparent that he had finally began to see Sirius and Remus as his "fathers." There were times when he clung more to Sirius and there were times when he clung more to Remus. Typically, Sirius was more vigorous and thus, catered to Harry's need for fun and excitement. On the other hand, Remus was typically more stern and responsible and so he catered more to Harry's need to be held and disciplined. They both bonded with Harry in different ways: Sirius oftentimes was on the floor, laughing and playing with Harry, while later in the day, Harry would be sitting on uncle Remus' lap as he read to him a story. They truly became accustomed to fatherhood and began to see Harry more as a son than as a nephew or even a godson. Both Sirius and Remus understood that everything they did could potentially influence Harry and were very meticulous with what they said and did around the child, especially Remus. After the tumultuous first few weeks, it was as if Harry truly was their own child and as time went on, Sirius and Remus noticed their bond growing stronger each and every day. Sirius remembered Dumbledore's prediction about the two of them being united through their mutual devotion to Harry and he sensed that it was coming true.

"I almost feel odd that he doesn't have either of our surnames," said Remus.

"Well, I don't know if James and Lily would want us to change his name from Potter to Black or Lupin," responded Sirius, whom was making dinner one evening.

"We could just add our names to his and he could have three last names. Harry Potter Black Lupin.," suggested Remus. At the hearing of this, Sirius took note of how Remus wanted Harry to have his last name. Was Remus trying to imply something to him?

"I think it sounds splendid. He deserves our names. I don't see why James and Lily would have a problem with it. We are his family now and he deserves to have the same names as his guardians," stated Sirius.

"I agree. I think that James and Lily would want us to do anything that would make Harry become closer to us so that we could be more of a united family," responded Remus.

"Precisely. We'll have to fill out the legal junk, but it will be worth it," said Sirius.

"I want Harry to truly feel like he belongs here with us. I don't want others to make fun of him and strife him over us not exactly being the conventional family," said Remus.

"Everyone else can kiss my ass," began Sirius. "We love Harry and we're happy here and that's good enough for me. Who needs anyone else's opinion?"

"You're exactly right, Padfoot. Harry's happiness is what matters, not the shallow opinions of outsiders," the werewolf agreed .

The two of them sat at the dining room table, indulging in the delectable stew which Sirius had cooked. The two of them had expected a visit from Professor Dumbledore to occur any day now, especially with Remus' time of month approaching. Due to his lycanthropy, he needed to find a safe place to lock himself away from Sirius and Harry until the morning when Sirius would aid and tend to him.

The next morning, Professor Dumbledore arrived and he had brought with him a few guests. Perched on his arm was his phoenix, Fawkes, and standing next to him were Professor Mcgonagall, cloaked in her signature dark green gown, and Hagrid in his typical fur vest and hiking pants with matching boots. Behind both of them stood Severus Snape and to no one's surprise he donned a cloak that was as black as the night sky.

"Ah, Sirius, Remus, I trust that all is well. I hope that you don't mind that I brought a few friends along with me," said Dumbledore as he gestured to the three people standing behind him.

"Not at all, sir," assured Remus.

"Well, I have come to talk to you about your condition, Remus. You must find a place where you can stay for the night. A place where you will be unable to potentially harm anyone, particularly Harry," warned Dumbledore as Harry, whom was in Sirius' arms, smiled and stared at Fawkes. "Also, Sirius, I hope you see this as a bit of a peace offering between you and Severus. Severus, please present to Remus your gift unto him."

"Very well, headmaster. Remus, this is for you. It is a very rare and recently discovered potion called Wolfsbane. Although it is not a permanent cure to your lycanthropy, it will help to control it. It will calm your emotions and help you maintain a better sense of self while you suffer from your transformation. I brewed it myself," he explained as he handed the bottled potion to Remus.

"Thank you, Severus. I'll treasure this," said Remus gratefully, whom glanced at Sirius. Sirius, still with Harry in his arms, turned his head the other way and attempted to ignore what Snape just did.

Meanwhile, Hagrid was waving and smiling at Harry.

"Albus, maybe now would be a good time to explain what just happened to the Longbottoms," suggested Professor Mcgonagall.

"Ah, yes, Minerva. Thank you for reminding me. I am sad to inform you that the aurors Frank and Alice Longbottom have recently undergone a dreadful change of living. They have lost their sanity and are beyond the help of any known magical healing treatments. You see, Sirius, your cousin, Bellatrix Lestrange, and her good friends Rudolphus Lestrange and Bartimus Crouch Jr. used the cruciatus curse upon them, torturing them until all mental stability was lost. They are currently in St. Mungos and the three Death Eaters are on the run. I assume that they did it as an act of vengeance over the recent defeat of their master," he explained as he turned to Harry and ran his finger down the lightning bolt scar upon the child's forehead.

"Tortured until they lost their sanity? My own cousin... I didn't think that she could sink any lower, but I was wrong," confessed Sirius.

"The child, Neville, is in the care of his grandmother and is doing just fine. He was not harmed in any way whatsoever," confirmed Dumbledore.

"Well, that is a tragedy," Sirius sighed.

"We really must get going now. All of us have Hogwarts business to attend to," confirmed Dumbledore. Upon leaving, Professor Mcgonagall smiled at Harry and Hagrid vowed to show him a real hippogriff the next time he was at Hogwarts.

"Over my dead body," muttered Remus to himself as he feared for Harry's well being. It wasn't that he did not trust Hagrid for in fact, he rather liked him, but he just did not feel it was safe for a child as young as Harry to be around such wild beasts.

The evening before the full moon, Sirius stood outside an empty room on the second floor of Grimmauld Place. That room was where Remus would spend the night in his transformation. It was dusk and he knew that the time when the beast within him would let loose was near. Sanding in his underwear in the doorway, saying his final words to Sirius before the night's beginning.

"Take this potion. It will help you to control yourself and it will take away some of the pain," advised Sirius as he handed Remus the wolfsbane.

"Fine," said Remus as he began to rink the potion.

"I've warded the door and when it is closed, you won't be able to escape that room until morning. I'll be downstairs with Harry. For tonight, I leave you, but I'll be back first thing at dawn to retrieve you and nurse you back to health, friend. I'll be thinking of you all night," said Sirius in a truly genuine tone of voice as he bid him farewell for the night, shutting and locking the heavily warded door.

Alone and naked, Remus sat in the corner of the room in intense waiting for the transformation to occur. How he loathed his lycanthropy and the fierce acrimony he harbored towards it for it only delivered misery and isolation in to his life ever since he was a small child. When it began, he felt his blood begin to rush through every inch of his body. His mind began to drift away from the humane feelings of love and compassion that he felt for his new family as he developed a sense of temporary apathy towards all human life. His muscles expanded beyond what they were as a thick coat of brown hair grew over every inch of his body as he stood on his hind knees yelling from the excruciating pain his body was experiencing, but he durable. Within seconds, Remus Lupin was no longer in control for the beast was. He slashed the air with his newly formed claws, sharp as a blade, and howled.

He immediately ran for the door, but was thrown back when he tried to break it. The damned wards created a boundary which he could not cross, no matter how much he clawed and charged upon the door. He ran around the room with saliva dripping from his mouth. There had to be another way out of this cage, and his wild instincts demanded its access. On the floor below, Sirius sat with a sleeping Harry as he heard the noises from the banging and the charging from the beast. The sad part was that as bad as the situation was, it was not as severe as usual for Snape's potion did give Remus a bit more control of his actions and emotions. Sirius worried, but knew that Remus had been through this many times before and that he would get through it and turn out fine in the morning. Maybe someday there would be a ture and permanent cure, but for now the wolfs bane potion had to do for now.

Biting and gnawing at his own flesh, Remus desired something to devour and due to the lack of human life within the room, his own flesh seemed to cater to the inhumane lust of the beast. Fur was ripped off and skin broke as the beast cried out in distress. The pain was there and it seared, but the beast indulged upon it as a desperate attempt at carnage. The blood fell from the open wounds as his body rolled and scrape against the black marble floor. Before long, smears and puddles of crimson liquid were splattered across the room and even upon walls. Once he had his fill, the beast sat, howling at the full moon which he could not see, but he knew was there. The night went on and Sirius remained downstairs, watching Harry.

At the break of dawn, Harry was asleep on the sofa in the parlor while his godfather went to free Remus from the prison cell of a room he was stranded in all throughout the night. Knocking on the door with the hope that the beast was gone and Remus had returned to himself, Sirius silently prayed that Remus was not in too much pain. Hearing the voice of his blood brother call out from the other side of the door, Sirius used his wand to terminate the defensive spells over it, abruptly opening the door and noticing the injured and degraded man laying on the other side of the room with his back against the blood-stained wall. Remus' naked body, which had an unusual amount of scars and contusions upon it, was a blood bath. Most of the blood was dried by now and the smears across his flesh were visible to the human eye, but a few streams of the crimson liquid continued to pour down his legs, chest, and arms. Remus, startled by Sirius, looked up to see the man before him. Sirius immediately ran to him, falling to the floor and wrapping his arms around the blood-covered man as he stared in to his - grey to amber. Sirius showed complete apathy to the fact that his clothes were becoming tainted with Remus' blood. At first, Sirius did not speak.

"Sirius… This is nothing new to you. Why are you getting so emotional?" struggled Remus.

"Remus, all your wounds, let me help you," ordered Sirius confidently yet emotionally, making sure his voice did not break.

"Sirius, if you really want to help me than just stay with me. Your company is enough."

"Remus…" sighed Sirius as he gently pressed the side of his own face against Remus' head, ceasing to pull it away for more than a minute.

Remus looked at Sirius and Sirius took notice of a particular scar upon Remus' chest around the area where his heart is. Sirius placidly and slowly ran his finger down it as every inch of his body felt nothing but love for Remus. With tears in his eyes, Sirius embraced Remus, delivering unto him a passion surpassing any ever previously bestowed upon him by anyone. Remus raised his hand, gripping Sirius' arm and the two of them sat in embrace for a great while. Silence dominated the room, but it screamed the truth. It was a truth suppressed by angst and a war, but the truth always finds a away to the light. Within each of their respective hearts, a mutual affection for one another burned bright.

"Just breathe, Remus. Your transformation is over. Your with me now"

Sirius' touch was so gentle yet so intimate and meaningful simultaneously, like a force from heaven crashing down upon Remus and delivering him from despair to bliss. In Sirius' arms he felt as though he was a place beyond time and space, matter and energy. This feeling was not sexual, it was something more, something far greater than erotic passion. The lucid truth that the souls of these two men were connecting was blatant. A tear fell down Sirius' face and hit the very scar upon Remus' chest that Sirius had ran his finger over. The love the two men shared for one another was so adamant that not even the most malefic force on earth could tear them apart from one another in this moment of sheer intimacy.

"The savagery of a beast can not destroy the heart of a man," whispered Sirius.

For the rest of the day, Remus was alone in his bedroom. Sirius had cleaned every inch of blood from his body and bandaged his wounds. In the aftermath of his transformation, he needed to rest and restore his body to homeostasis. Thus, he was unable to tend to Harry that day. Sirius tended to all matters throughout the day, making occasional trips to Remus' bedroom to bring him food and ask him how he was feeling. The werewolf lay on his bed, grateful for the beautiful people he had been given. He could not get himself to stop thinking about what happened with Sirius that morning and it seemed to concretely prove that Sirius did still have romantic feelings for him.

"I hope you now know how much I love you," muttered Sirius to himself as he was sitting on the sofa in the parlor, watching Harry, whom was wondering around the room as if he was trying to discover something new about his home. Sirius closed his eyes and sat as he deeply inhaled and exhaled, meditating. "I hope you're proud of me, James…."

A few weeks went by and Christmas was rapidly dawning. Sirius and Remus each remembered quite vividly the intimate event which they shared the morning after the full moon, but neither spoke of it much even though both of them constantly had it on their minds. Snow had fallen upon the land and covered all not a single street in all of London was without the white substance covering it. Today was the day when Sirius would go to Diagon Alley to buy presents for Harry. Although Remus advised spending with limits so as not to spoil Harry too much, Sirius ignored him. Remus, whom was very poor and had little money to his name had saved up enough to buy a few things for the only two people in the world who truly mattered to him. To Diagon Alley they went, leaving Harry with Hagrid for a few hours, much to Remus' worry, but Sirius assured him that he would be responsible and allow Harry to be harmed by any magical creatures.

First, the two of them went to a wizarding joke shop and bought Harry many magical contraptions including toy dragons that breathed fake flames, toy imitative wands that lit up and cast simple spells, and countless other magical toys. By the time they left the store, Sirius happily walked in to the street. Remus was behind him, nearly tripping from the weight of the many shopping bags he was carrying while Sirius carried almost nothing. Remus stored all the shopping bags in his wallet, which contained infinite storage space. They than went to a candy store and Sirius bought more candy than one could imagine, going all out and defying all limits. By the time they were finished in that store, Sirius carried in one hand a huge bag full of all kinds of sweet treats and in his other hand, he held a chocolate bar which he took a bite out of before holding it up to the werewolf's mouth.

"You've earned a bite," he said. Remus gave an attempt at a smile as the Black heir grinned with glee. The werewolf bit the chocolate bar before Sirius put it back in his pocket and they continued on. They each went shopping for each other, temporarily parting ways to go and buy gifts that the other might appreciate.

Shortly after, they apparated back to Grimmauld Place. Sirius and Remus hid all the presents in a room upstairs before going back to Hogwarts to retrieve Harry from Hagrid. Remus nearly had a heart attack when he saw Harry playing with a baby hippogriff which the gentle half-giant was keeping within his hut.

"Buckbeak wouldn't hurt a soul!" he insisted to Remus. Harry, whom seemed to be having a delightful time, did not bare any injuries. Remus looked at Hagrid and grinned.

"You're lucky I like you, Hagrid. I know you mean well and would never want Harry to be harmed," said Remus as he swooped Harry into his arms.

"Well I'd never let the kid get hurt," assured the gentle half-giant.

"I know," said the werewolf, calming down. "I just worry about Harry a lot. When I really think about it, I don't think you would ever let Harry be put in harms way and you obviously know a lot more about these beasts than I," smiled Remus.

"So Harry can come over again?" asked Hagrid.

"Yes," said Remus, pushing aside all fear and doubt and trusting that he's responsible."

"Yes!" cheered Hagrid, pumping his fist.

Back home, Remus and Sirius enjoyed the remainder of the month, raising Harry and growing platonically closer to one another with each and every day, and on Christmas Eve, they paid a visit to the graveyard at Godric's Hollow. Sirius was dressed in a quite extravagant black overcoat with matching black dress slacks and dark boots. Remus, donning a red scarf, was clothed in a grey overcoat with brown pants and boots which perfectly complimented his coat. They walked through the snow, ignoring all other surroundings with their eyes solely focused upon their destination. Before them were the graves of James and Lily. The bitter cold brushed against the bodies of Remus, Sirius, and Harry as they stared in silent remembrance of the two whom they came to visit on such a glorious holiday. Harry, whom was in Sirius' arms, didn't seem to fully understand what was going on, but something within Remus and Sirius believed that in a way, the small child did somehow understand, to some degree or another, but was far too young to totally comprehend the unfortunate reality. A tear fell from Remus' eyes as he stared at the graves.

"What's wrong, Moony?" asked Harry in his tender voice, which tugged at Remus' sanity like nothing before. How could a child so innocent, so pure, be the victim of such tumultuous tragedy? Remus looked from Sirius to Harry.

"Harry, this is too much for you to understand right now, but when you're older, we'll tell you," promised Remus. Sirius, fighting back tears himself, merely nodded his head before Remus laid down the beautiful wreath, covered in red poinsettia flowers, before the grave. There was a moment of silence that spoke a thousand words as the two men reflected on the memory of their dear friends and all that they had left of them - Harry.

That evening, the two men laid Harry to bed, each kissing him upon the forehead before extinguishing the light within the room. They went to the dining room to a special Christmas Eve dinner before relaxing in the parlor like they did almost every night.

"I'm so glad I bought Harry that electric guitar," confessed Sirius. "and that microphone, drum set, bass, and keyboard."

Remus laughed before he opening his mouth to speak.

"I'm sure if he'll love them when he's older, but he won't really make much sense of them now."

"Nonsense. One is never too young to become a musician," said Sirius. "Remind me again, what did you buy him?"

"I bought him some books of wizarding fairytales and another book of elementary spells. Then I got him a remembrall so that he'll learn to be more organized. I plan on teaching him how to read and write and basic things about life in another year or so. I want him to become responsible and educated about the world. I did get him a few other things too," admitted Remus.

"Your gifts always have some kind of educational theme to them, don't they, Moony?"

"Yes and I'm rather proud of that fact."

"Whatever," said Sirius.

Also, I bought him something particularly special that I didn't tell you about. It's something really magnificent that I think will mean a lot to him when he's older. Now, he won't really understand it for you see, he's too young."

"Well, what is it?"

"If you really want to know, it's something that will forever remind him of Lily. It's a statue of a white doe with green eyes, standing in a meadow. I almost cried when I saw it and I knew that I had to get it for him."

"Really?" asked Sirius. "Remus, that's beautiful. I'm sure he'll treasure it when he's older. That almost brings a tear to my eye."

"Yeah… I got you something that you'll be particularly fond of yourself."

"I can only imagine what it is," he laughed.

"You'll love it trust me. I saved up for a long time to get it for you."

"Well, whatever it is, I'm sure I'll love it," smiled Sirius. He gave him a truly genuine look and the two of them continued to engage in amiable conversation.

In the morning, they exchanged gifts with one another while Harry was still in his bedroom, his mind in the land of dreams.

"Remus, here you go," said Sirius. He handed to Remus a huge red package that contained God-knows-what and with it, a smaller package wrapped in blue. The larger package contained a great amount of chocolate, Remus' sweet pleasure and favorite treat. The smaller package contained a beautiful grey trench coat, which Sirius knew Remus was eyeing up in the a particular clothing store at Diagon Alley. After thanking and hugging Sirius, Remus handed him an envelope.

"I know it's not much, but I really do think you'll like it," admitted Remus. Sirius opened the envelope, discovering a beautiful Christmas card inside and within the card, a ticket to see Sirius' favorite rock band, the Weird Sisters.

"Remus!" burst Sirius with joy as he immediately jumped to hug his best friend. "They are so in-demand from the public. You must have spent a fortune on this ticket. Thank you!"

"Anything for you, Padfoot," smiled Remus. "I think it's time to wake Harry."

The two men awoke Harry and became willed with joy upon seeing the expression of cheer upon his face as he saw all the presents under the tree. Harry's eyes glistened in the light from the lit hearth as he saw all his presents. To Remus' and Sirius' great surprise, a few extra presents for Harry arrived in the mail and Remus sat them under the tree.

"It seems his friends at Hogwarts were thinking of him," said Sirius.

Harry opened the extra presents and they included; from Dumbledore, a miniature model of a phoenix which flew and sang the song of the legendary bird; from Professor Mcgonagall, a real golden snitch which Harry could use in a quidditch game when he got older; from Hagrid, a picture book containing vivid photographs of various friendly magical creatures such as unicorns, hippogriffs, and fairies; and to Remus' and Sirius' great surprise, from Snape, a bottle of Felix Felicis - a potion which would bring good luck to whomever drank it. For the rest of the morning, Harry delightfully indulged in his sea of presents which flooded the parlor floor and it was the happiest that Remus and Sirius had seen him since James and Lily were alive.

In Harry, the two men each saw their own childhoods. It brought such a sentimental and special feeling to them, warming their hearts in the dead of winter. As Harry indulged in his presents, Sirius looked in to Remus' eyes and smiled as Remus put his arm over Sirius' shoulder.

"I love you, Remus." confessed Sirius.

"I love you too, Sirius," responded Remus.

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	4. The Death Eaters' Plan

Two people, cloaked in black, were stranded in an old warehouse by the dock at London. One of them was a woman and she was angry beyond all reason, throwing empty wine bottles against the walls so that they would shatter upon impact, cascading the floor with countless shards of broken glass, which she walked upon in her thick, black boots. Her long, black robe just barely avoided touching the floor as she tugged on it impulsively. Her eyes glared with murder as she swept her long, dark hair back and forth like a mad woman. Her name was Bellatrix Lestrange.

"Barty, I'm sick and tired of waiting for those accursed buffoons to show themselves. I want that child so that I can kill him myself! I'll gouge his eyes out for what he did to our master! AGH!" cursed Bellatrix. "That damned baby will die!"

The man, dressed in black dress pants with matching boots and a black leather jacket, harbored a dark expression upon his own face, nodding his head to every word Bellatrix spoke. He slicked back his straight, brown hair before chugging a bottle of fire whiskey that sat before him.

"Oh, little Harry. Our master is gone because of him. Someone must have been pulling the strings because there is no way in all of hell that a child could defeat our lord, Bella. It sickens me to imagine such a thing," swore Barty Crouch Jr.

"The only useful thing we've done lately was torture the Longbottoms. Ha, did you see the looks on their faces? I never saw such weak people. They didn't even put up a fight!" laughed Bella. "BUT STILL, our lord is gone and we have no idea where he is. I want to find him and bring him back myself.. After all, I am his most trusted servant," swore Bellatrix.

"And arguably his most loyal," agreed Barty.

"Obviously," shouted Bellatrix as she rolled her eyes.

"My cousin, Sirius Black - the blood traitor, is the godfather of that child we speak of. I bet the child is with him and Dumbledore's protecting them. Than there always was that werewolf that hung around my cousin and James Potter. What was his name…" pondered Bellatrix as she searched through her memory. "Lupin! Remus Lupin… Yes, he and my cousin were lovers and I wouldn't be surprised if they were still together, raising that child. I want that child dead!" screamed Bellatrix as she tossed another wine bottle at the wall.

"Than let's stop talking and do it," demanded Barty.

"Yes, but how? We don't know where they are. They could be anywhere! But I swear, when we find them, we'll take that child and torture him just like we did the Longbottoms and than we'll deliver the final blow and hang his dead, little body atop the entrance to the Ministry of Magic building. Then the whole world can see their great messiah, Harry Potter, broken and demeaned by the servants of the Dark Lord. It's perfect!" laughed Bellatrix, whose eyes expressed malefic desires.

"When we find them, they'll wish our master did kill that child on that fateful night," cursed Barty.

"What about Pettigrew? Do you have any idea where he is? He's the one who led our master to the Potter's and than our master gets blown up and Pettigrew just vanishes! Why isn't he with us, trying to help us find our lord? The little coward! He's probably afraid to die or get thrown in Azkaban for our cause! I knew we couldn't trust him. Ugh, that little rat! When we find the Dark Lord and restore him to his true state, I hope he slaughters Pettigrew. Throw the little rat in a meat grinder for I care!" demanded Bellatrix.

"Bella, the mention of Pettigrew makes me want to vomit. Let's focus on the Potter child for now."

"Yes, Barty. Little Harry will pay, indeed."

"You know, Bella, you're kinda sexy when you're angry," said Barty as he raised his eye brows suggestively. Barty rose from his seat, and strutted towards Bellatrix, wrapping his arm around her waist. "Whataya say, we get down and have sex?"

"Ugh!" smirked Bellatrix, slapping Barty's hand and smirking at him. "You know that my one true love is Voldemort and no one else - not you, not Rudolphus, not anyone."

"Bitch…" said Barty through his teeth.

"ON TO BUSINESS, Harry Potter can not hide from us for long. We'll make him wish he died that October night," swore Bellatrix as she began to laugh, ceasing to stop as her insanity echoed through the brisk air. Barty expressed a twisted smile, licking his lips at the sight of Bellatrix. "Wait! I have a plan and it involves that other werewolf, Fenrir Greyback. He's the one who bit Luipin and turned him in to one," smiled Bellatrix as Barty listened tentatively. "First, we'll need to find him. Do you have any idea where he is?"

"He has a hideout on the outskirts of London. We should go and meet up with him. We can use more powerful on our side."

"Precisely. We'll use him to lure Remus away fromSirius and the child and then we'll strike and take the child and then off with his head! Hahahahahaha!" laughed Bellatrix. Barty smiled.

"She's so beautiful when she acts insane," thought Barty to himself, licking his lips again.

"Barty, I have a plan and it will result in our capture of little, bitty Harry Potter," said Bellatrix seriously. "We need some polyjuice potion."

The winter was ending as the brisk, frozen weather began to melt away before the light of the sun in the way of the spring equinox. Remus and Sirius, still living with one another and raising their "nephew," Harry, had not yet admitted their romantic feelings to one another, still harboring them beneath the visible surface. The right moment had not come yet for them to completely rekindle their past romance. They had grown closer as friends than ever before and they each delighted in watching Harry transition from what he was like when he first began living with them to what he was on his way to becoming.

One gloomy day, Remus sat in the library at Grimmauld Place, reading a classic piece of literature as Harry sat on the floor beneath him. Sirius was in the kitchen, cooking something for it was around mid-day and he and Remus had not eaten since the early morning.

"Remus, lunch is ready," called Sirius from the dining room. Remus, abandoning the book he was reading, swooped Harry in to his arms and took the child to the dining room. Sirius sat, already eating his salad, as Remus sat with Harry on his lap.

"So, how's your book going?" asked Sirius.

"Oh, it's quite wonderful," answered Remus. "I enjoy it very much."

"Yeah, I was never really in to books. I always liked music a lot. I remember back at Hogwarts, James and I would blast our records in the dorm room and you would get so angry with us and tell us to turn it off because you were trying to study," laughed Sirius. Remus grinned.

"Don't remind me."

"Professor Dumbledore, wanted us to come to Hogwarts this evening and to bring Harry. I reckon we'd best go," said Sirius.

"Did he say what he wanted?"

"No, he just wanted to discuss with us something and I think that he said he had something for us."

"I wonder what Professor Dumbledore could want to give us?" pondered Remus, whom was taking a bite of his salad.

"I'm not sure, but we'd best go. If Dumbledore requests our presence than you know it's important."

"It is. Sirius, may I say that you are quite a talented chef," began Remus. "I haven't had a salad this good in quite a long time. I wish Harry was old enough to understand the quality of a good meal."

"Well, sadly, he's not. Anyway, we'd best get going when we finish our meal. "

"Sure. I'm sure Harry would love to see Hogwarts again. Wouldn't you, Harry?" asked Remus as he tickled Harry's chin, causing the child to giggle.

Once the meal was finished, Remus and Sirius took Harry to Hogwarts via apparation. Standing by the lake, Sirius, with Harry in his arms, and Remus gazed out at the magnificent castle perched upon the cliff above the lake. The grey sky held within it clouds that reflected upon the surface of the water, adding to the beautiful scenery. In the distance, the green mountains gave a glimpse of the Scottish highlands, creating a vivid image of wilderness which appealed to Remus for it reminded him of his small cottage in the forest near Yorkshire.

"Ya see that, Harry?" asked Sirius as he meticulously stepped on to the shore of the lake, allowing the gentle tide to wash over his feet. "Someday, you'll be able to swim in this lake and have a bloody good time. I can't wait for you to get here, Harry. You'll make so many friends and memories just like I did…"

"It's nice to see the two of you here," came the voice of Professor Dumbledore.

"Headmaster, you requested our presence today?" asked Remus.

"I did. You see, I wish to inform the two of you that there have been a string of Death Eater attacks in London, not far from your home. Also, I have received word that the Dursleys are rather curious about what has happened to Harry. I, myself, was shocked upon hearing that hey actually gave one damn about their nephew. Maybe Petunia does have a heart after all."

Sirius tightened his grip upon Harry.

"We're not surrendering him to those muggles," smirked Sirius.

"I don't expect you to nor do you have to for you see, Sirius, James and Lily made you the child's godfather, not Petunia nor her husband."

"They probably just want him so they can kill him, bury him in their backyard, and then go spit on Lily's grave," snapped Sirius. "There's no way in hell that they're genuine."

"It matters not for Harry is to remain with the two of you. I'll be damned if the child were to go to the Dursleys."

"Professor, you said you had something you wished to give us," reminded Remus.

"Agh, yes. I brewed it myself. Remus, I made you this bottle of wolfs bane for your upcoming transformation, but I added some extra ingredients to it to make stronger and it will reduce your agony to a much greater extent than the previous batches have. I plan to publish my new discovery so that others who suffer from lycanthropy may also reap the benefit of this updated version of the sought-after wolfs bane potion, which seems to sell out at every store it's sold at," stated Dumbledore.

"Thank you, professor. I… I don't know what to say."

"You're welcome, Remus. Your friendship is enough for repayment," confessed Dumbledore amiably. "Again, I invite the two of you to indulge in our scrumptious feast in the great hall. Lunch is already nearing end, but I'm sure there are some leftovers."

"Why thank you, sir, but we'd best be going. We might stop to see Hagrid and that will be enough for our visit today," said Remus.

"Agh, yes, you may go to see Hagrid, but as son as you are finished, I must assert that you return to your home," ordered Dumbledore.

Before Dumbledore left them, an unexpected guest arrived, sparking a fire of acrimony within the eyes of Sirius. Lucius Malfoy, the obnoxious,wealthy, pure-blooded husband of Narcissa Malfoy found himself mere feet away from Dumbledore, holding his signature black cane whose top was in the image of a silver serpent.

"Dumbledore, I've been looking for you," alerted Lucius, holding his nose high in the air for it was typical of his arrogant demeanor. "I was told that you were last seen walking towards the lake. As a governor of this school, I don't approve of the way you are… Oh, well, what do we have here?" asked Lucius as he stared at Sirius, Remus, and most of all, Harry. Lucius, noticing the lightning scar on Harry's forehead, stared adamantly upon the child. "Well, Harry Potter."

"Your point is Malfoy?" asked Sirius. It was blatantly candid that he was not happy with being in the presence of Lucius.

"Agh, the celebrity of the year. How is it that a child could overcome the most powerful dark wizard to ever walk the face of the earth?" asked Malfoy rather impetuously.

"Because he's that badass," answered Sirius.

"Well, we shall see when he is older if he truly is worthy of all the praise he's gotten in the magical community," smirked Lucius. Sirius, vexed, glared at him and Remus put his hand over Sirius' shoulder.

"Very well than. I'll be waiting for you back at the castle, Dumbledore, " said Lucius as he walked away, strutting with his cane at his side and his nose held high.

"You'd best get home," warned Dumbledore, whom walked away.

Remus and Sirius stopped to see Hagrid before apparating back to Grimmauld place. Harry was overjoyed to see Hagrid, whom was bathing baby Buckbeak the hippogriff in his front yard. They conversed amiably with the gentle half-giant Hagrid for no more than twenty minutes or so.

When they returned home, the grey sky over London was plagued with thunder clouds, foreshadowing a storm. A breeze of spring air swept across the street, refreshing the skin of anyone that walked by. Searching in his pocket for the keys to Grimmauld Place, Sirius froze at the sight of the man before him, whom walked out of the shadows from he alley just next to Grimmauld Place. He resembled Sirius and his familiar face nearly made Sirius' heart stop.

"Regulus?"

"Sirius, my brother. I've missed you. You probably thought that I was dead. Well, I wasn't. When I betrayed Voldemort, he captured me and locked me away where I was tortured. For a long time, I remained in that prison cell and nearly starved to death, but you see, since the dark one's downfall, I've been able to escape and I finally have. Sirius, my brother, I want to return to Grimmauld Place and continue life as if I had never joined You-Know-Who."

Sirius, puzzled and flabbergasted, stared in to the eyes of the man before him, expecting this to be some kind of joke.

"You filthy pure-blood supremecist of a death eater, I don't want you in my presence for anything," smirked Sirius.

"Sirius, my brother, what are you talking about? I wish to start anew and have good relationship with you."

Bellatrix and Barty, perched a top a building overlooking the London skyline and not far away from Grimmauld Place, were impatiently waiting for Fenrir Greyback, disguised as Regulus Black via polyjuice potion, to lure Remus away from Sirius and Harry while he already had them distracted outside of Grimmauld Place. Although he house was under the fidelus charm, Bellatrix knew very well the street where her aunt and uncle lived and all the childhood visits she had to the place. Her aunt treated her like more of an offspring than she had treated her own son, Sirius, frequently scorning him for not being more like his "good cousin," Bellatrix. The spring breeze swept through their hair as they each stood with both acrimony and anticipation flowing through their veins. Sick of waiting, Bellatrix burst.

"Agh! Where are they? Fenrir'd better succeed or I'll torture him with the cruciatus curse, mark my works, Barty! Agh, our lord would be so disappointed in us!" shouted Voldemort's most trusted servant as she paced back and forth, tugging at her hair.

"Bella, be patient. Fenrir will succeed. The polyjuice potion lasts about an hour and he took it almost an hour ago. Our timing is right and it will where off any minute now, exposing his true form and than the Sirius' boyfriend will see who he is. Fenrir has a bit of rivalry with that werewolf. All he needs to do is argue with Black for a few minutes and he'll turn back in to himself. He's the one who bit Lupin so many years ago, cursing him with the damned condition, so I'm sure that Lupin will take the bait just to ring his neck," assured Barty.

"And what if he doesn't take the bait? What if our plan fails and we don't capture the child? Our lord will be so disappointed in us. Oh, I shutter to think just what he would say if he knew we failed."

"We won't fail, Bella.," promised Barty.

"We'd better not!" cursed Bellatrix as she turned around and walked to the edge of the building, shooting the green jet of light from the tip of her wand in to the sky. "I can't bare the thought of disappointing our lord. Speaking of children, my own sister, Narcissa, makes me angry. She tries to hide her child, Draco, from the death eaters so that he can grow up away from us. She doesn't want him to be a part of Voldemort's army, but I say nonsense! I'll take the boy myself and raise him in the ways of our lord."

"Bella, maybe we could have a son of our own someday. We'll name him after me," suggested Barty as he raised his eye brows and flicked his tongue around his lips, while placing his hand over his crotch. Bellatrix scowled at him.

"Barty! I told you that I'm not interested in you! My only true love is our lord and no one else!" snapped Bellatrix with anger and spite, her eyes wide open as she glared at Barty.

"Fine," digressed Barty in utter disgust.

"Now, let's return to the mission and focus on capturing that child.

Back on the ground, Sirius and Regulus continued their argument as insults and obscenities began to thrown across the street at one another. Remus, stood on the side with his attention turning back and forth between the two brothers before him.

"You served that maniac of a tyrant, Voldemort!" accused Sirius.

"You went off and betrayed our family to pal around with a bunch of mud blood scum!" shouted Regulus.

"The only scum here is you, Sirius. Our dear mother would be so ashamed of you if she were alive!"

"Our mother was a bitch and you know it! You're no brother of mine," swore Sirius. "Go to hell!"

"I'm probably already headed there anyway," laughed Regulus before his skin began to boil, causing Harry to grow frightened. Before their eyes, Remus and Sirius witnessed Regulus transition in to the shabby, filthy, bearded man known as Fenrir Greyback. Impulsively, Remus clenched his fist.

"You…"

"Damn right it's me. In the flesh…" smiled the Dark Lord's servant.

"Agh!" yelled Remus as he ran towards Fenrir, whom evaded him and ran down the street, screaming obscenities and taunting Remus.

"Sirius, take Harry inside. I'm going to make sure that man never bites anyone ever again."

"Remus, wait!" shouted Sirius, but it was too late. Remus had darted off after Fenrir Greyback, chasing him through down the street as a light rain began to fall upon the land, soaking the concrete pavement of the city ground. Reluctant, Sirius, with Harry in his arms, began to chase after Remus, but caught himself. "I'll set Harry inside and than I'll find Remus. This must be a trap."

"I don't think you're going anywhere with that child," came a spiteful sounding voice from behind and it was a voice that Sirius both knew and loathed.

"Oh, no. Don't tell me," said Sirius to himself as he turned around. Before him stood Bellatrix Lestrange and Barty Crouch Jr. and they both had eyes that glared with malice.

"Bella, leave this place and never come back," demanded Sirius.

"Give me one reason why I should listen to you, cousin," said Bella as both she and Barty were pointing their wands at Sirius, whom was holding Harry and had no chance to reach for his wand.

"Do what you want with me, but please don't take my godson," pleaded Sirius for he realized that he could not escape this situation, unless by some wild chance that Remus would return and succeed in casting a spell that could potentially kill both of the intruders.

"Hand us the child," demanded Bellatrix.

"Please don't take Harry," begged Sirius, his beautiful grey eyes sparkling with tears.

By now Remus had returned, realizing that Sirius could be in danger, and saw Bellatrix and Barty standing before Sirius, but just as he was about to draw his wand, Barty disarmed him. Harry stared at the two strangers and began to cry, sensing that they weren't nice people.

"Yes, cry child, cry. Let aunty Bella take you away so she CAN TORTURE YOU!" screamed Bellatrix as she breathed heavily.

"We're not going to ask again," warned Barty. Sirius was frozen in fear and knew not what to do and Remus did not dare run to pick up his wand which was laying on the ground only feet away from him for he knew that if he did, Bellatrix and Barty could strike.

"Well, what's it going to be?" asked Bellatrix one final time.

Instantly, Barty whipped his wand through the air and caused the ground to quake, shaking Sirius and Remus to their feet, as Bellatrix vanished before reappearing next to Sirius and ripping Harry out of his arms before vanishing once again and reappearing next to Barty.

"HARRY!" screamed Sirius louder than ever.

Bellatrix stuck out her tongue at Sirius before she and Barty both vanished simultaneously. Remus picked up his wand from the concrete ground and ran to Sirius, whom fell to his knees and began to cry hysterically.

"Sirius, we'll get him back," promised Remus with tears in his own eyes.

"It's my fault," sobbed Sirius. "I should have known better, but I tried to force Greyback to go away because I really thought it was my brother. I should have just killed him there, right on the spot."

"Sirius, don't blame yourself. If I wouldn't have ran off after him than those two wouldn't have corned you," consoled Remus with tears falling from his eyes. "We'll get him back."

Sirius remained on his knees, sobbing like he never had done before for quite some time. Even as the rain began to pour down, Sirius still would not move and Remus would not leave him, hugging him and crying with him, while praying for a miracle.

Meanwhile, at the abandoned warehouse that Bella and Barty used as hiding place, the two of them appeared. With Harry In her arms, Bella began to laugh as she spun around with Harry. Barty's expressioon contained an evil smile which reflected in Bella's eyes.

"Barty, we've done it! We've captured Potter! Oh, the Dark Lord would be so pleased with us. I wish he were here to see this. No one in the world is more joyful than I am right now," laughed Bellatrix maniacally. Harry began to cry as tears fell from his eyes and Bellatrix dumped him on the cold, hard concrete floor. "Let's celebrate with some more wine! I… ugh, someone stop that noise," she complained about Harry's crying. Bellatrix, whom was not very warm towards children, found her ears to be pierced from the irritable sound of Harry, whom was shaking in fear. She lifted the child up before her and began to yell. "Stupid child, quit your crying! Your daddys aren't coming back! You're mine now, little brat! You'll pay for what you did to my master! Do you hear me?" but the child would not cease to sob. Annoyed, she threw Harry in to Barty's arms. Barty, not quite as insane as Bellatrix, did not frighten Harry as much as she did, but still did regardless.

"What do you expect me to do with him?" snapped Barty, whom stood with Harry in his arms.

"I don't know! Make him shut up!" shouted Bellatrix. Upon her orders, Barty sat down upon an old chair in the corner of the room and sat Harry upon his lap, bouncing the child on his leg. Despite his true attempt at calming the child, Harry would not stop crying.

"Why don't we just kill him here and now?" asked Barty abrasively.

"Because I want to drag this out and make his guardians worry even more," stated Bellatrix. "Where's Fenrir? Maybe he knows how to get the thing to stop crying.

Barty, still bouncing Harry on his leg, wrapped his arms around the child and kissed him on the head.

"If we don't kill you, you're going to be my son now and we'll raise you to be a Death Eater. I'm changing your name from Harry Potter to Bartemis Crouch III. How do you like that, child? I'll teach you to follow the Dark Lord and no one else," laughed Barty over the sounds of Harry's cries. Fenrir apparated in to the room, right away covering his ears.

"Someone shut that child up!" shouted Fenrir. Bellatrix pointed her wand at Harry and cast a silencing charm, abruptly extinguishing the sound of the crying, but one could still tell by the movements of Harry's face and the tears falling from his eyes that he was still just as distressed.

"Much better," began Bellatrix. "Now, where were we? Oh, yes. We've done it! Harry Potter is in our hands and now we just have to decide what to do with him, but before we do anything, I want to torture him just like I did the Longbottoms."

"Not yet, Bella. I have a feeling that we haven't seen the last of Lupin and your cousin. They'll be searching for him and they'll have Dumbledore and the whole ministry involved. We can't trust anyone now," said Greyback.

"Where is this child going to sleep tonight?" asked Barty, still with Harry on his lap.

"On the floor with the rats," said Bellatrix. "Maybe one of them will bite him and then he'll get rabies or something and it would save us the trouble of killing him," smiled the maniacal woman.

"Oh, Bella, you really know how to be hospitable to someone who's staying with you," said Greyback sarcastically.

"Well, do you have any better suggestions?" demanded Bellatrix.

"Barty seems to adore him so much so why not with him?"

"Yes, so that he can vomit on me in the middle of the night? I think not," snapped Barty.

"This is going to be all over the news. We're going to be even more infamous than we already are," exclaimed Bella, folding her hands together and squinting her eyes at Harry before abruptly jumping before him and sticking her tongue out, growling and hissing and thus, upsetting the distressed child even more. Barty then wrapped Harry in to an embrace and held him against his chest.

"Bella, you're a madwoman," said Barty.

"And you're a madman," she retorted.

"Well, what are we going to do now?" asked Barty, whom dumped Harry on the concrete floor of the dark room.

"We wait…" replied Bellatrix as she pointed her wand at Harry. "I just want to do it for a second or two and no more… Crucio!"

"We have to go straight to Dumbledore," sobbed Sirius. Remus, handing him a handkerchief, nodded his head and the two of them apparated to Hogwarts. They rushed to the headmaster's office, shouting at the stone gargoyle. Dumbledore, sensing their presence, stepped outside his office and looked at them with a grim expression upon his face. They both were sobbing and Harry was not with them. Dumbledore knew what this meant.

"How did it happen?" asked the great wizard, whom sat at his desk before the two weeping men.

"We went back home like you told us, but Greyback cornered us on the street and he used polyjuice potion to look my long lost brother. We argued for a few minutes and then the potion wore off and Greyback ran, but Remus chased after him to stop him from getting away. Then as soon as I turned around, Bellatrix and Barty Crouch Jr. were there and they cornered me. A minute later, Remus rushed back, realizing what was going on, but Barty disarmed him before he could do anything and they took Harry and apparated somewhere," explained Sirius, tears still falling from his eyes. Remus had his hand on Sirius' shoulder, fighting back tears, himself.

"They could be anywhere," said Dumbledore."I wish for neither of you to blame yourselves for if it is anyone's fault, it is mine," confessed Dumbledore.

"Why would it be your fault?" asked Remus.

"Because it is I who invited the two of you to Hogwarts, thinking that you would enjoy some time away from Grimmauld Place. I felt horrible that you two had to stay there in hiding, almost never leaving. I thought you would enjoy leaving even if it was just for a brief period of time. I never expected this to hppen so fast like it did. If I would not have invited you on this day than maybe they would not have taken Harry," said Dumbledore, a single tear streaming down his crooked nose.

"Well, what are we going to do?" sobbed Remus. "I feel so guilty. When the potion wore off and I saw that it was Fenrir, I chased after him for three reasons - I wanted to stop him to prevent him from potentially telling the other death eaters our whereabouts; I was afraid that if he got away, he would go and continue to bite more people and infect them with the disease like he did me; lastly, I wanted to kill him out of my own anger for all the pain he caused me by infecting me when I was just a child," admitted Remus, whom bowed his head in shame.

"Remus, I told you that I do not want you to cast blame upon yourself," said Dumbledore. "We will find a way to get back Harry. I'll send an owl to ministry, explaining what happened and maybe they can be of assistance."

"James and lily must hate me," sobbed Sirius with his hands covering his face. "I can't even begin to imagine how ashamed of me they must be."

"Sirius, I told you that it is not your fault. Don't even begin to blame yourself. You tried to give Harry the best upbringing you could give him and mark my words, we will get him back," promised Dumbledore. "Besides, Bellatrix probably already knew that it was likely that you two were hinding with Harry at Grimmauld Place, so she would have shown up there eventually. If not today than it would have been tomorrow or some other day."

"That is true," said Remus as he blew his nose in to a tissue. "I can't even imagine how scared Harry must be right now."

"We don't even know where to begin to look," stated Sirius.

A depressing silence filled the room. Sirius and Remus sat before Dumbledore, both of them still sobbing. A few rays of light shone through the window, barely bestowing light upon the dimly lit room as the two parental guardians of Harry Potter sat contemplating the reality of the current situation, which seemed to abrade away their sanities while antagonizing each of their respective souls and causing utter detriment in the process.

"Maybe I could be of assistance," came a ominous sounding voice from behind. Sirius and Remus both turned their heads to see none other than Severus Snape standing in the doorway, dressed in his signature black cloak and holding his wand in his hands. Sirius and Remus glanced at one another before glancing back at Snape. Snape could see the trepidation in their faces.

"Headmaster, I could very easily contact Bellatrix's sister, Narcissa, and state a convincing excuse for as to why I need to meet with Bellatrix."

"Severus, thank you. You see, Sirius? I told you that he's on our side," began Dumbledore. "Severus, I trust that you overheard us."

"Yes," hissed Snape slowly.

"It's settled then. Severus might be our only chance at finding out where Harry is. I trust him and I need the two of you to trust him as well. Do I have your mutual cooperation?" asked Dumbledore.

"Yes, sir," sobbed Remus.

"Anything to find Harry," cried Sirius.

"Very well than. Severus, this is in your hands. You must find out where Bellatrix and Barty Crouch Jr. are keeping Harry and you must find a way to deliver Harry from their malefic grasp. Otherwise, our worst fears may be confirmed and something terrible may happen to Harry if you don't act ast enough, Severus," stated Dumbledore.

"I will do my best," assured Snape as he turned, walking away from the office with his black cloak sweeping behind him. Sirius and Remus watched him leave and they each swallowed their pride, placing all trust and faith within him to deliver their beloved Harry back to them.

"This is all we can do for now," said Dumbledore.

"I can't help but wonder if that rat Peter is involved in this," said Remus.

"Would it surprise you if he was?" asked Sirius rather disgustedly.

"Not at all," responded Remus through his teeth.

For the remainder of the day, Sirius and Remus panicked. They stayed with Dumbledore just in case there was some update over Harry's whereabouts, fearing to go back to Grimmauld Place for numerous reasons and among them, they both knew that they could not bare to enter their home without Harry for it would not truly be home to them. Both of them forbade themselves to imagine the horrors which Harry had to have been undergoing, but neither could stay true to that promise for visions of Harry in tumultuous situations perverted their conscious minds, awakening grand apprehension and practically shaking their spines with fear over it.

"I promise, we'll get Harry back," assured Remus to Sirius, whom rested his head on the werewolf's shoulder.

"I sure hope so," said Sirius.

At one point, Hagrid rushed in to the office with gargantuan tears falling from his eyes. He threw Fawkes the phoenix a few berries and stood next to Remus and Sirius, offering his condolences and promising that Snape would pull through. Also, Professor Mcgonagall came in to the office and she was rather distressed. She inhaled deeply and explained that neither Sirius nor Remus should feel guilty over the occurrence for Bellatrix had an idea of where they were and that she would have struck eventually anyway. Never in all Remus' nor in Sirius' life had something provoked such anxiety and fear as this, not even James' and Lily's deaths on that fateful autumn night a few months prior. The weather outside the castle turned even gloomier and torrential rain poured down over the land, drenching the geography yet cleansing it at the same time.

"I sure hope that there is a rainbow after this storm," confessed Sirius as he wiped a tear from his eye. Remus hugged him, ceasing to let go. Sirius returned the hug and they held each other in a mutual embrace.

Meanwhile at the abandoned warehouse, Bellatrix lay across a row of old, wooden crates. Harry, in the arms of his new "daddy," Barty Crouch Jr., was finally asleep. The room was bathed in utter darkness while countless shards from the many wine bottles Bellatrix had smashed against the walls, were upon the floor.

"He's so cute when he sleeps," said Barty.

"Don't get too attached to him, Barty. He might just die in my next evil scheme if something goes wrong. Otherwise, you're free to raise him as a disciple of the Dark Lord. Sirius Black and his sidekick, Lupin the werewolf won't know what hit them," laughed Bellatrix. Fenrir and Barty joined her, imagining her malicious plan unfolding and the downfall of the blood traitor and the gentle werewolf.


	5. All That Mattered To Them

In the meadow that his old cottage was located in, Remus sat in the soft grass. He was wearing nothing more than grey pants and a matching button-up shirt. It was a beautiful, sunny day and the cirrus clouds were scattered across the ardent blue sky, resembling the tail hairs of a horse. The sun, suspended high in the day sky, bestowed the gist of light to the world. A few feet away from Remus, wild flowers were blooming and the sound of flowing water from a nearby stream could be heard. All seemed to be so serene, so pure - innocence reigned. This was surely the kind of life that James and Lily wanted for Harry to have - to be raised in such a serene and tranquil environment where he was surrounded by his two loving guardians, whom would live and breathe for him.

Harry, laughing, stumbled in to Remus' loving arms Remus kissed him on the forehead. Such cheer resonated within Remus' heart to see Harry so happy. Behind them, Sirius stood with a smile across his face as he watched them. It seemed as though nothing could possible go wrong.

Waking up from his fantasy, Remus found himself sitting in Dumbledore's office. Next to him was Sirius, whom had his face buried in his hands. Remus swore to himself that when they saved Harry, he would take him to that meadow this summer and live the fantasy he just envisioned.

For the remainder of the day, Remus and Sirius sat in silent worry, dreading the fate of their beloved Harry. United through love, the two of them continued to hope that by some chance, the boy was still alive, ceasing to succumb to whatever inhumane torment Bellatrix Lestrange would put him through. Sirius curled his fist, catching Remus' attention, as he wiped the last of his tears and stared directly in to the eyes of his best friend.

"Remus, I don't care if I have to give my own life and face death before my time, I will make sure that Harry is safe and not in the hands of such vile, sick people like Bellatrix or her boyfriend, Barty. If Snape is unsuccessful in finding his location, than I'm taking matters in to my own hands. Are you with me?"

"Sirius, you know damn well that I want to get Harry back just as much as you do, but face it. This world is huge and they could be anywhere. We need to trust that Severus can succeed in finding our boy. I just hope it's not too late," stated Remus, as he dried his eyes.

"It's not. I refuse to believe that it is," responded Sirius adamantly. Sparkling within Sirius' grey eyes was something Remus had not previously noticed. A light of determination brought life and vigor to those eyes which only a few minutes ago, were ostensibly dead and shrouded in shadows. Seeing the hope in those eyes lit a fire within Remus' heart and that fire burned bright, energizing his soul with the light of love.

"You're right, Sirius," said Remus, whom was reminiscing about all his time with Harry - caring for him, nurturing him, loving him.

"When we see Bellatrix, we'll make her wish that she never became a Death Eater. That wicked bitch! I am ashamed to say that I share blood with her. I'll show her just what the filthy blood traitor that I am can do."

"And I'll be right by your side the entire time," swore Remus.

"Remus, I want to thank you for everything. I'm Harry's godfather and I'm the one he's legally bound to and so there was no need for you to live with me for the past few months, helping me to raise him, but you still did and I am forever in your debt because of that. I want you to know that you are my very best friend and my most trusted ally. If it weren't for you, I would be so lost. And let's not forget that Harry seems to have taken such a liking to you. I always see the smile on his face when you go near him. That's why I am so glad that you are staying with us. Thank you, Remus, for everything."

"There's no need to thank m, Sirius, for you know that I always saw Harry as my own son, even though I'm not his godfather, nor his actual father. I wouldn't miss a day of Harry's life for anything. I already told you that living with you and Harry has been the happiest time of my life, despite the fact that we live in such dark times. I 'm here and I'm here to stay," responded Remus genuinely. "Now, let's focus on getting back our Harry."

"Right, have your wand at hand and be ready for anything because tonight, we'll do whatever it takes to get back our godson even if we have to go through hell to do it!" asserted Sirius.

Snape, once outside the castle, walked placidly along the shore of the lake. The grey sky, filled with storm clouds, reigned over the land and perfectly complimented the scenery, illustrating a landscape prone to a torrential downpour. Snape looked deep in to the black water and to him, the color of it represented his soul, forever trapped in an eternal darkness as long as he lived in this life for only death could set him free from the regret and torment he felt over the death of Lily Potter.

"I will save the boy, as much as I may dislike him. I will find him and deliver him safely back to his guardians. Heaven help me to find the strength to accomplish this salient task of my life. Please… Lily, my love, I won't fail you. I promise you that I'll save your son. All these months after your death, I'm still here drowning in regret. Lily, after all this time, I still love you and I will protect your son at all costs. I'll be forever yours', my love. Always…"

Instantly, Snape vanished, traveling through space to the place where he knew he could find the one person who could potentially tell him where Bellatrix's current whereabouts are. Snape stood outside of Malfoy Manor and swallowing his pride, he used to his wand to dispel the lock upon the front gate and proceeded down the path to the manor's doors. He rang the doorbell and within a minute, a beautiful woman answered the door. She was tall, sleek, and her eyes glistened a brilliant blue. Her hair was predominantly blonde, but within it were streaks of black.

"Severus?"

"Narcissa."

"My dear Severus, please do come in," begged the woman and Snape stepped inside the manor. The foyer resembled a grand ballroom with its marble flooring and the large staircase that was positioned in the center of the room. Beautiful glass chandeliers lined the surface of the ceiling, adding to the room's elegance.

"Severus, what can I help you with today?" asked Narcissa. Snape saw in her eyes a trepidation of some sort and he looked at her calmly. He knew that something was troubling her.

"I've come to see your sister, Narcissa. Where is Bellatrix? I need to speak to her about something rather dire."

"Bellatrix has not been around. I know that she's on the run right now and so, she's in hiding, Last she told me, she's hiding at an abandoned warehouse somewhere down by the river at London. That was a week ago, so I can't guarantee that she's still there. I'm not even sure if Rodolphus is with her. She said that she was on the run with Barty Crouch," stated Narcissa.

"Interesting… Well, if I can't find her there and she stops by, tell her that I am looking for her," requested Snape as he turned to the door, about to leave.

"Severus, wait…" pleaded Narcissa. Snape faced her, raising his eye brow. "I have something that I would like to confess to you, if I may confide in you, of course. I mean, you've been such a good friend to our family and I really would like to tell you something."

"Of course you may confide in me, my lady," replied Snape.

"Thank you, Severus. I've needed someone to talk to about this, but no one seems able to listen and understand my point of view," began Narcissa."It's just that… well; I'm worried about my son. I know that the Dark Lord is gone, but well, honestly, Severus, I don't want Draco to have anything to do with the Death Eaters. I love my son too much and he's too young to understand any of this, but Lucius always talked about him growing up to be a servant of the Dark Lord. I, myself, never joined the Death Eaters and although I am not exactly fond of muggle-borns nor of blood-traitors, I don't want to join an organization that has the blood of so many people on its hands. My sister is a lost cause for she is just far too in love with the Dark Lord to ever renounce her discipleship of him. Lucius, too, is too devout to the cause of the Death Eaters to ever do so either. I love Lucius and I love my sister so much and I don't want to see either of them in Azkaban like so many former Death Eaters have already ended up. I just, I'm scared," confessed Narcissa.

Snape looked at her adamantly before simply closing his eyes and reopening them.

"Narcissa, I understand your fears and you can trust me that I will not betray your trust. The knowledge you told me is confidential and I will not tell Bellatrix nor will I tell anyone else. Although, if you do want to escape the Death Eaters for good than I'd suggest talking to Albus Dumbledore, as I have," replied Snape. Narcissa's face lit up with confusion.

"You're no longer a Death Eater?"

"I renounced it months ago when I became a spy for Dumbledore. I had no reason to serve Voldemort any longer. It is just an idea, but if you are so distressed over your husband's associates than I'd recommend getting yourself away from them even if it means separating yourself from him for the wellbeing of both yourself and your son," replied Severus.

"I could never leave Lucius," gasped Narcissa, whom bore an expression of ambivalence. "But if Draco's life is at risk…"

"Than do what you must for the sake of your son," stated Snape simply.

"Thank you, Severus. Thank you for allowing me to confide in you," expressed Narcissa gratefully.

"Anytime," replied Snape in his usual ominous tone of voice. He then escorted himself through the door and apparated away from Malfoy Manor and to Hogwarts, making his way to Professor Dumbledore's office. Remus and Sirius were still sitting before the great wizard's desk. Remus was wiping his eyes with a tissue and Sirius had his hands over his face as his back quietly trembled. Instantly upon Snape's arrival in to the room, Sirius and Remus turned their heads in anticipation.

"He's most likely at an abandoned warehouse at the dock in London."

"How do you know this, Severus? What are your sources?" asked Dumbledore.

"I paid a visit to Narcissa Malfoy, the sister of Bellatrix Lestrange. She told me last known location of her sister, but she also told me that she hadn't seen her in a week or so and that she very well may be somewhere else by now."

"Agh, I see," said Dumbledore as he rubbed his chin. "Maybe we should make our way to the said warehouse before nightfall, but just to be certain that Harry is still there, I will use legilimancy to see through his eyes."

Dumbledore began concentrating heavily and hushed the others to be entirely silent. In a matter of seconds, Dumbledore found himself looking through the eyes of Harry Potter. He felt what the child felt and heard what the child heard. He was laying on a cold, hard floor in a dark and damp place. Overtop him, Bellatrix Lestrange and Barty Crouch paced back and forth, expressing twisted form of glee.

"I want to drag this procedure out as long as possible to keep my blood traitor cousin and his werewolf boyfriend worried and prone to a heart attack!" laughed Bellatrix.

"They'll be so messed up over this," agreed Barty.

"Padfoot…" whimpered Harry.

"Ugh, there he goes again saying that damned word! What's a 'padfoot,' seriously?" demanded Bellatrix.

"Moony…"

"That word too! Padfoot and Moony are all he's been saying for the past few hours. It's driving me crazy!" shouted Bellatrix.

"Oh, well! He's a baby, Bellatrix! Get over it! Exclaimed Barty as he swooped Harry up in to his arms once again. "There, there child, we'll raise you to be a good disciple of the Dark Lord and you'll grow up big and strong just like me," assured Barty as he kissed Harry on the forehead.

"Barty, the way you bond with that child sickens me. He killed our master!" yelled Bellatrix.

"I know, Bella, but just think how much our lord would love to see the looks on everyone's face when this child, the great messiah, grows up to be a servant of him. Our lord is out there somewhere and I know that we'll find him eventually."

"Whatever," smirked Bellatrix, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Padfoot…"

"Shut up!" shouted Bellatrix, whom smashed an empty wine bottle against the floor and allowing glass to cascade across it. Bellatrix's hands shook as she clenched her fingers and glared down at Harry as if she was contemplating murdering him right then and there. "I hate this child! I want him dead and I might just kill him when you two aren't looking! He's the reason our lord is gone and I'll make him pay. I want his guardians to know that they'd better not dare mess with the Dark Lord nor his servants, especially his most loyal servant!"

"Don't scare him, Bella," warned Greyback. "We wouldn't want to have to listen to him whine again."

"Ugh!" yelled Bellatrix as she left the room, muttering obscenities under her breath. Her very being was just overflowing with insanity. It was a wonder how Harry was still alive with her around.

Dumbledore left Harry's mind, awaking back in his own body before Sirius, Remus, and Severus.

"He's still alive and he's in a very dark and cold place. I think it's the warehouse Severus speaks of."

"Well, let's go than," asserted Sirius as he leapt up from his seat.

"Not so fast, Sirius," said Dumbledore. "We need to plan our actions corresponding to the current circumstances which we face and our own intuitions."

"So what are your plans?" asked Remus.

"We will infiltrate the warehouse and surprise them, potentially snatching Harry before they even notice us. We must be stealthy and evasive and know that Bellatrix is quite a prodigious witch for she I capable of magic most wizards are never even able to fathom. The plan is as lucid as that," replied Dumbledore tranquilly yet cunningly. A ray of hope escalated the spines of both Sirius and Remus.

"Yes, sir," replied Remus and Sirius simultaneously, each nodding their head.

"Severus, I want you to keep watch from somewhere nearby in case Bellatrix and her friends try to make an escape. Are you in?" asked Dumbledore.

"Yes," replied Snape.

"Alright," began Dumbledore as he stretched out his arm. "Take my arm, all three of you."

"Headmaster, I thought that one could not apparate in and out of Hogwarts?" asked Remus.

"Awe, Remus, my boy. You'll find that there are certain privileges that come with being me," smiled Dumbledore.

The three men took Dumbledore's arm and apparated to the dock of London. The weather looked as though it was about to storm and a long line of warehouses lined the river's edge. Sirius and Remus were baffled for they would surely spend all day looking for the boy at this dreadful place. There was just far too much ground to cover.

"He's this way," began Dumbledore. "I can sense him."

The three men followed Dumbledore as he led them through the light rain to the a particular warehouse that looked very old. Shattered windows lined the walls of the place and it looked as if no one had stepped foot in the place in years.

"Poor Harry," said Remus. "I hope they at least didn't set him somewhere filthy."

"Well, Bellatrix is rather filthy so I'm sure that it makes no difference to her."

Dumbledore pointed his wand at the rusty doorknob and dispelled the lock. Snape hid by the next warehouse in order to prevent Bellatrix from escaping through the door. Inside, Dumbledore led the way. The interior of the warehouse was extremely filthy as everything was covered in dust. A few streaks of light broke through the shattered windows, granting minor illumination to the place. The three men silently walked through rooms and hallways until they heard the whimpering of a small child. Immediately, Dumbledore hushed Sirius and Remus. The three men had their backs against a wall and Dumbledore peeked in to the next room and there was Harry, lying on the filthy floor.

"Sirius, Remus, I want the two of you to step in there and snatch Harry and I'll cover both of you from behind."

"Yes, sir," said Remus as he and Sirius quietly crept in to the next room. All of a sudden, a jet of green light hit the floor mere feet away from them and it was accompanied by the high-pitched, sick laugh they both recognized so easily.

"I wouldn't try to take the child if I were you," sounded Bellatrix Lestrange from somewhere unknown to Sirius and Remus. Bellatrix, whom was laying atop a row of crates stood up and began to threaten Sirius and Remus.

"I knew you would find us eventually and so we were ready for you."

From behind some crates, Fenrir Greyback and Barty Crouch revealed themselves, each possessing their respective wand within their hand and pointing it directly at Sirius and Remus, both of whom had their own wands drawn.

"Don't even think of trying to rescue the child," snapped Bellatrix.

"Bellatrix, you always were quite a difficult young woman," came the triumphant voice of Albus Dumbledore as he stepped out of the shadows with his wand drawn. Upon seeing him, Bellatrix, Barty, and Greyback all shrieked.

"I think you have someone who belongs with us," accused Dumbledore.

"Don't be so accusatory, old man. What wrong have I done in trying to punish the one whom killed my master?" questioned Bellatrix.

"You've done more wrong than almost anyone I know, Bellatrix, and I think you'd best allow us to take Harry back to his home."

"That's not going to happen," snapped Bellatrix. "He'll pay or what he did if he does not grow up to become a disciple of the resurrected Dark Lord!"

"Bellatrix, no magic can resurrect the dead and you and I both know that," replied Dumbledore.

"My lord is not dead!" screamed Bellatrix as she fired the killing curse at Dumbledore, whom blacked it with a shield charm from his wand.

"No spell should be able to block that curse!" asserted Bellatrix. "You fools! If you really think that I'm going to let you leave with the child that easily than you are gravely mistaken! I'll kill all of you myself if I have to! If you ever want to see your godson again than meet me atop the Federal Bank building In London tonight at nine o'clock!"

With the flick of her wand, Bellatrix unleashed the deathly fiendfire spell upon the room and massive flames lit everything on fire. With the three intruders distracted, Bellatrix used her wand to send Harry flying through the air and in to her arms as she, Barty, and Greyback vanished.

"HARRY!" screamed Remus and Sirius simultaneously. Dumbledore grabbed both of them and apparated out of the warehouse, appearing outside by the edge of the river. The flames of fiendfire had spread and were rapidly deteriorating the building with their intense heat, burning every ounce of physical matter.

"Stand back!" shouted Dumbledore whom aimed his wand at the warehouse and seemed to corral all the fire in to one great pillar, which resembled a small tornado as it burned through he center of the roof. Dumbledore than pointed his wand in the direction of the river and the fire, like a solar flare, bent downwards and plunged in to the water, extinguishing itself.

"You were supposed to rescue him!" shrieked Snape.

"We almost did, but they took him," said Remus.

"But we do have a chance to save him. Tonight, we must confront that mad woman and snatch Harry from her," stated Dumbledore.

"Sirus and I are going to head there now," said Remus.

"Damn right we are," confirmed Sirius.

"If the two of you wish to go there this early than I can not stop you, but know you may be setting yourselves up for trouble. Miss Lestrange could show up at anytime and so the two of you must constantly be on alert with your wands drawn. Your perception must be at its finest," warned Dumbledore.

"I know," agreed Sirius.

"We still have about two hours before nine," began Remus. "We'll be waiting for her."

"And around nine o'clock, I will show up, surprising the evil harridan. I'll make sure that Harry is back in your arms because I know just the combination of spells to ensure success in this. Bellatrix might just die tonight," asserted Dumbledore.

"Very well, headmaster," said Remus. "Sirius, are you ready?"

"More now than ever before."

Within a moment, the two of them were gone; they had apparated to the top of the skyscraper upon which Bellatrix vowed to visit in just two short hours.

"Do you think they'll be alright?" asked Snape.

"I trust that they know what they are doing," replied Dumbledore. "I just hope that they don't galvanize themselves too much."

"Obviously…"

Atop the roof of the skyscraper, Remus and Sirius stood, awaiting the woman they loathed most in the whole world and her two henchmen. The sky was graying and night would surely fall upon Britain within an hour or so. The two men passed the time, talking about their mutual love of Harry while keeping their guard up at all times.

"Look at the city skyline," said Sirius, recalling the night a few months prior when he had been standing on the edge of a high building, prepared to throw away his own life while under pressure from his darkest fears. "It's really something, isn't it?"

"It is," replied Remus, whom stood next to Sirius.

For some time, the two of them stood in silence, staring out at the blackening dusk and the moon was already rising in the sky. Gradually, more and more stars became visible to the naked eye as the moments passed by.

"I can't even begin to imagine what I'm going to do to that bitch when I get my hands around her throat and suffocate her before throwing her off the edge of this building," said Sirius through his teeth.

"Let's not focus on revenge, Sirius. I mean, yes. She is a horrible excuse for a human being, but thinking about how much we hate her is not going to bring Harry back. We need to fill ourselves with optimism, not hatred. Hatred is what the Dark Lord is driven by and we surely don't want to be anything like him. Let's think about how much we love Harry, not how much we hate Bellatrix. Hatred will get us nowhere," explained Remus.

"I see what you mean and you're right. As evil as she is, punishing her is not going to help us retrieve our boy. We need to be cunning and prove that we're better wizards and better human beings than her. I know we can do it, Remus. Harry's depending on us and we have to save him tonight. Trust in yourself and in your wand."

"That's precisely what I plan on doing," began Remus. "Padfoot, old friend, I want you to know that living with you and Harry has brought such joy to my heart. When I graduated fro Hogwarts, I never thought that I would be so happy because I knew that I would struggle to find a suitable job due to my condition and I secretly feared that you and James would forget about me and move on with your lives, but now I see that that is not the case."

The sky was transitioning to black and by now, countless stars were visible, scattered across the infinity of space and illuminating the vast darkness which plagued the universe. The stars made Sirius recall his the namesakes of many members of his family. The said namesakes were the stars. It was tradition among the noble and ancient house of Black to name children after a star. Sirius thought about the names of his many relatives, whom disgusted him to no end and he thought about how disappointed they would be in him for associating with people of non-pure blood status. He new that they would hate him even more than they already did for falling in love with another man. The man whom he loved, Remus, was standing right beside him. In truth, Sirius did not give one damn about what his family thought of him. Most of them were dead and gone. All that mattered to Sirius were Remus and Harry. Sirius felt his pulse increase and something inside him told him that if he was going to confess his true emotions to Remus, it was to be on this night.

"We still have an hour or so until Bellatrix makes her grand appearance," reminded Remus with a tone of sarcasm in his voice.

"She'll wish she never became a Death Eater when we're finished tonight," warned Sirius. "She'll be humiliated when we snatch Harry away from her, leaving her empty-handed and unable to please her malicious master."

"Precisely. We'll have Harry back and we'll be together again, just the three of us. The way it's meant to be," responded Remus.

"I think that James and Lily would be proud of us, Remus. We've sacrificed everything to care for this wonderful boy, whom we practically see as our own. There's no way that they could not be thankful for all we've done. I honestly do believe that they are happy that Harry has a loving home with us," confessed Sirius.

Remus' heart was pounding in his chest - he knew that this was a pristine opportunity to confess his feelings of love for Sirius, but something within him restrained him. It was fear and more specifically, fear of rejection. Did Sirius still harbor feelings of romance for Remus like he previously did? Trying to amass the confidence to confess the axiomatic truth that he loved him, Remus inhaled deeply.

"Sirius, I want you to know that it is my wish to devote myself to loving Harry, raising him, caring for him, and lastly, spending my entire life with you," confessed Remus, hoping that Sirius would understand the subliminal message within his words.

"Spending my entire life with you…" though Sirius to himself. Those words echoed through his conscious mind, evoking an extreme curiosity within him. "What des he mean by that? Is he trying to tell me that he loves me?"

"Sirius, I can't think of someone I'd rather have with me, helping me to raise Harry, than you…"

Sirius knew that Remus was desperately trying to confess his feelings to him. Looking out at the city skyline, Sirius felt a breeze of spring air sweep through his long, black hair as a sensation of truth surged within his soul, pushing him to confess the confess his love for Remus. Sirius let go of all trepidation, all acrimony, and all sorrow that he held within and released it in to the universe, setting free the tumultuous demons that haunted him for so long. The catharsis fueled his being with a positive aura. He felt no hatred for his enemies whatsoever, but felt only love for the man standing beside him. Under the moonlight, he threw all caution to the wind after amassing the necessary courage to do so and thus, he looked in Remus' eyes and confessed his feelings.

"Remus, would you let me kiss you before we save our godson tonight?"

There was a second or so of silence and Remus looked at him. Instantly, he smiled and surrendered all his darkness, releasing it in to the night just as Sirius had done seconds prior, and he gave the answer that he knew Sirius wanted to hear.

"Definitely."

At that moment, Sirius and Remus engaged in a passionate and ardent kiss that seemed to burn away all angst between them. Remus wrapped his arms around Sirius, holding tight the man whom he loved. For at least a minute, the two remained locked in that powerful kiss. Once they broke it, they stared in to one another's eyes - grey to amber, and knew that they were each staring in to the eyes of their soul mate.

"You have no idea how long I've been wanting to do that," said Remus.

"My feelings are mutual. For months now, I've wanted to tell you how I feel about you, but I was so scared that you didn't feel the same way, but I know that you do," confessed Sirius.

"We have each other and tonight, we'll back our godson," said Remus.

"We will," replied Sirius. "Until that madwoman arrives, let's just talk about everything. Remus, I want to know what bothers you, what thrills you, what scares you… Just open up to me about everything. I promise I won't judge you."

"Sirius, somehow I believe you and I want to know the same things about you, but this isn't exactly the time for it. We can't let down our guard. Tonight, when we get home, we'll bond.

Within twenty minutes or so, Bellatrix appeared from thin air and she held in her arms Harry, whom seemed to be asleep. She laughed her maniacal laugh and pointed her wand at Sirius and Remus, whom had their wands pointed directly at her.

"Well, if it isn't the two of you. I thought maybe you realize that you can't win and not show up," said Bellatrix spitefully.

"You wish, Bella," said Sirius in a dark tone. Bellatrix knew that he meant what he said.

"So you want back the child right?" interrogated Bellatrix.

"Obviously," stated Remus.

Next to Bellatrx appeared Barty and Greyback, both of whom had their wand pointed at Sirius and Remus. Outnumbered three to two, Sirius and Remus kept the faith that by the end of the confrontation, Harry would be with them again.

"I don't think you'll be killing anyone tonight, Bellatrix," came the loud, confident, assertive voice of Albus Dumbledore as he appeared from no where, apparating on to the scene. Instantaneously, he waved his wand and Harry went flying out of Bellatrix's arms and in to the loving arms of Sirius.

"Agh1 Avada Kedavra!" screamed Bellatrix as she shot the dreaded killing curse at Dumbledore. Barty and Greyback also shot the very same curse at the great wizard, but to no success for Dumbledore had cast a shield spell unlike anything Belllatrix had ever witnessed and it deflected the three killing curses, sending them shooting off in to the night sky far from any potential victims. With valor and might, Dumbledore stared Bellatrix dead in the eyes and awaited her next move.

"You'll pay!" screamed Bellatrix as fiend fire was unleashed form her wand and it was in the formation of a giant basilisk. The great beast of flame towered over her and hissed at Dumbledore, but he showed no fear. As it lunged at him, he muttered an incantation to himself and from the tip of the elder wand burst gargantuan, crimson waves of energy that defied gravity, completely extinguishing the fiend fire and sending Bellatrix, Barty, and Greyback flying off the edge of the building and plummeting to their deaths. In mid-air, the three villains apparated, saving themselves from crashing in to the concrete below. Dumbledore stood on the edge of the building, watching as event.

"Well, I think it's fair to assume that we won't bee seeing them anymore tonight," but when he looked behind him, he saw that Remus and Sirius were too busy holding Harry and smothering his face in kisses. Dumbledore watched in silent joy, daring not to disturb the cheerful reunion. "I can tell just how salient Remus and Sirius are to young Harry's life," thought Dumbledore to himself.

Back at Grimmauld Place, Dumbledore renewed all the protective enchantments upon the place to make it so that no Death Eater could enter. Aldo, he recalled the spells he placed upon Harry the night his parents died, knowing that they had obviously warn off, he renewed them as well. Dumbledore had examined Harry to make sure that nothing was wrong and that he was still the very same happy, healthy, young boy that Sirius and Remus loved so much that they were willing to sacrifice their lives to raise him.

"All is well with Harry. The only thing that bothers me is that it looks as though someone used the cruciatus curse on him for a few moments," stated Dumbledore. Sirius and Remus shrieked in terror at the thought of it.

"Bellatrix," muttered Sirius as he clenched his fist.

"Remember, there's no reason for us to be angry anymore. It's over and Harry's back with us and he's alive and well," reminded Remus. "Bellatrix will bring about her own downfall eventually. Fate will make sure she gets what's coming to her."

"You're right," admitted Sirius.

"Well, I'd best be getting back to Hogwarts for it is getting late and there is much work for me to get done," declared Dumbledore sententiously.

"Headmaster, thank you for everything you've done," exclaimed Remus gratefully.

"Yes, thank you, sir," said Sirius.

"Anytime," said Dumbledore as he prepared to leave, but just before he stepped out the door, Sirius stopped him to tell something that no one would have expected.

"Sir, please tell Severus that I'm grateful for how he helped us today. If it wasn't for him than, we wouldn't have found Harry," admitted Sirius.

"I will do that," smiled Dumbledore.

Sirius and Remus were much too overjoyed to have Harry back in their presence and so once the boy was bathed, Sirius and Remus spent the remainder of the evening with him, bonding as two parents would do with heir child. James' and lily's son was with them and he was there to stay. Once Harry was put to bed in his room, Sirius and Remus looked at one another.

"So I guess we're a couple now, right?" asked Sirius.

"Yeah, we are," smiled Remus.

Filled with complete bliss, the two of them spent the remainder of the night bonding. They had the conversation that Sirius wanted to have earlier and confided in one another about how they each were truly feeling about life. Both of them confessed their deepest fears, their graves sorrows, and their most joyous thrills while the other listened and did not cast judgment, but simply smiled and accepted his lover for what he truly is. Sirius and Remus both knew that they truly were one another's soul mate. They both totally knew and trusted one another in all aspects.

"Well, I wonder how we're gonna explain this to Harry when he's older," asked Sirius.

"It won't be alien to him. I'm sure that he'll love us and accept us as we are regardless of whatever the norms and conventions of society are," replied Remus.

"You're right. I don't care what society thinks. I just wanna be happy and I'm happy when I'm with you, Moony," confessed Sirius.

"And I'm happy when I'm with you, Padfoot," confessed Remus.

"I bet having two dads around will be a good thing for him. I mean, well, uncles. James will always be his father. We're not replacing him. We're just…"

"Filling in for him," said Remus as he finished Sirius' sentence.

"Yeah, and lily will always be his mum regardless of him having three dads," laughed Sirius in response.

"Exactly," smiled Remus. "I want Harry to know that even though we're not James and Lily, we'll love him just as much we'll always be there for him," asserted Remus.

"Exactly. There's no reason for us to be ashamed of our love," said Sirius.

"Harry's going to have a great childhood with us as his dads," stated Remus.

"Damn right he is. I still say he looks just like James, but he has Lily's eyes. Those beautiful emerald eyes."

"That's why I bought him that statue of a doe for Christmas because I wanted him to have it so he'd think of his mother," replied Remus.

"Remus, we're gonna be the best dads that kid could ever want," smiled Sirius. His voice had a satisfied tone to it.

"I agree completely," replied Remus.

When it came time to lay down, the two of them each went to Sirius' bedroom and shared his bed. It had been quite a while since the two of them had shared a bed with one another and it was the most comfortable night's sleep that either of them had ever experienced. The two of them eventually fell asleep and a serene joy echoed throughout Grimmauld Place. Harry potter, the son of James and Lily Potter, was now living comfortably and wholesomely with his adoptive fathers, Remus Lupin and Sirius Black. All was well.


	6. Lovers in the Moonlight

A few days after rescuing Harry, Remus and Sirius lay in bed together one evening, silently awake, as they stared in to the eyes of one another. A few streaks of sunlight shone through the window, creating a serene atmosphere within the room. Wearing nothing more than his grey trousers, Remus' face wore a blissful expression. Sirius, also wearing only a pair of black trousers, delicately rubbed his finger across the scar upon his boyfriend's chest. The healed wound was located right where his heart would be. It reminded Sirius of all the pain that his lover had endured throughout the course of his difficult and strenuous life, but now that they truly had one another, he was determined to eradicate all that pain that caused his lover so much detriment. As far as he was concerned, the world was irrelevant to their love. Since they had begun dating, Sirius was completely subversive to all of Remus' darkness, vowing to annihilate it and ensure that only light would dwell within the heart and soul of the gentle werewolf, whom was such a subject of the shallow bigotries of society.

"I love you," said Sirius, allowing his lover to know just how deep his feelings for him ran. Remus opened his mouth, breaking his silence.

"And I love you…"

"Obviously," laughed Sirius. There was something concretely assuring about his expression. It was as if he letting his lover know that he was well aware their devotion to one another was completely mutual. Remus never was as confident as Sirius and always struggled to admit his true emotions to anyone but himself until recently. With Sirius, he felt as though confessing his emotions was such a simple process. He knew that whatever he felt, Sirius would respond only with love and nothing else.

"Now that we're officially together, we really should start sleeping in the same bed."

"Definitely…"

"I was thinking, Sirius, I'd really like to take you somewhere special. It'll be just the two of us. We can have Hagrid or someone watch Harry while we're gone."

"Really, do tell," said an intrigued Sirius.

"It's somewhere I like to go when I'm soul searching and I hope you'll like it as much as I do."

"When can we go?" asked Sirius.

'Whenever you'd like," answered Remus romantically.

"Maybe tomorrow evening with it being on such short notice, dear. Now, you've got me curious about this whole thing."

"You'll find out where it is tomorrow than. I don't think it will disappoint you, love."

"I don't think it will either. You've proven yourself to be quite romantic the past week or so, love," confessed Sirius as he raised his eye brow suggestively. Remus' smile expanded as he tried to conceal his joy.

"I do the best that I can," said the werewolf modestly.

"I don't think you could do better even if you tried. You're just that good," responded Sirius. Remus could only reply with a kiss as he reached over and calmly held one hand over the side of his lover's face before kissing him. It lasted for almost a full minute. Once they broke the kiss, the two men simply lived in the moment, both breathing deeply while still staring at one another.

Later that evening, Remus walked in to the parlor. In his arms, he held Harry whom was chuckling about something. Sitting was sitting upon the sofa in the dimly lit room. The hearth was ablaze and the flames within cast shadows that seemed to dance upon the walls. It reminded Remus much of his first night with Harry – the night James and Lily died and he took the boy to his own cottage in the wilderness and sat before the lit hearth in the dark room. Taking his seat next to Sirius, Remus sat with Harry on his lap and the two men looked down at their godson with pride. It had already been around six months that they had been living together as a family.

"He's growing more and more every day," said Sirius.

"I know. It almost scares me a bit that he's going to be an adult before we know it," replied Remus.

"He's already rather mature for his age, I find. We can't hide him here forever though. When he goes to Hogwarts, he'll be famous. Everyone will want to be his friend and that could be both a good thing and a bad thing."

"Some people will want to use him and others will be genuine. Let's just hope he can tell the right sort of people for himself," said Remus.

"Dumbledore will keep an eye on him and make sure no one harms him. Until then, I's just the two of us with him and strangely, I'm perfectly content with that."

"I honestly expected you to get a bit stir-crazy, Pads. Well, I'm glad you haven't. This kind of life is not too foreign to me. When I wasn't paling around with James and Lily the past few years since we've been out of Hogwarts, I was alone in my cottage, downing fire whiskey every other night. Solitude is a friend of mine."

"Speaking of that, I wanted to tell you that I'm sorry for not always trusting you the past few years. When I found out there was a spy and I thought it might've been you, I started to sever our relationship," confessed Sirius regretfully. Remus looked at him with sincerity.

"Why did you think it was me, Pads?"

"Well, your condition… I assumed that you were somehow recruited by the Death Eaters and I'm sorry, Moony. That wasn't right of me to accuse you."

"I too owe you an apology, Padfoot old friend. I worried that you were the spy because of your family and well, a certain cousin of yours' whose name I will not mention."

"Well, none of that's important now because we know who the real spy was and I swear, someday we'll catch that filthy rat, but enough of this. Remus, you and I love each other and we love Harry and that's all that matters now."

Sirius kissed Harry on the head and tickled him beneath the chin. The joyous child was the most cherished treasure of his two guardians and their smiles reflected in his emerald eyes before they ardently kissed.

The next day at around five o'clock, Remus invited Hagrid to spend the day at Grimmauld Place so as to watch Harry. They were taking no chances with the boy's security and thus, refused to take him away from his home. Remus kept true to his promise to take his boyfriend to the place he told him of, still withholding the identity of its location from him. The gentle half-giant arrived and he had with him his cage full of pigmypuffs for Harry to play with.

"Brought some of me pets for the little tyke to play with," smiled Hagrid, whom sat upon the sofa.

"Alright, I think we're ready to go now," said Remus, whom was clothed in a pair of grey trousers and a wrinkled, red, button-up shirt.

"Yeah, I'm ready," confirmed Sirius, whom was dressed in a pair of black jeans and a matching black button-up shirt.

"We'll be back in a few hours, Hagrid. You know the basic rules, especially not to take him out of the house. We'll be back in a few hours," said Remus.

"Ah, the little lad will be fine. He loves bein' round my pets."

"Bye Harry, we'll be back really soon," said Remus while he ruffled Harry's black hair.

"See ya, kid," waved Sirius, but Harry was too preoccupied with Hagrid's pigmypuffs to really even notice that his guardians were leaving.

Sirius and Remus left Grimmauld Place, apparating to Remus' mysterious location. Through space they traveled before appearing somewhere in a forest. Tall trees surrounded them in all directions, while cracks of sunlight shone through the forest canopy. The cool spring breeze brushed against them as they glanced around.

"Where are we?" asked Sirius.

"We're in the forest I called home, but we won't be going to my old cottage for you see, there's somewhere else that I wish to take you."

Sirius raised his eye brow, wondering what kind of outing his boyfriend was planning. He trusted that whatever it was, it would be worth it.

"Lead the way."

"I will," replied Remus.

And so, Remus led Sirius through the forest. It seemed that no one lived within any range of this place. How did Remus stand living here all on his own for all those years? To Sirius it was completely alien for he never had been much of an outdoors person. He knew that for Remus to be so confident about the particular matter, the place they were headed to had to be somewhere wonderful. Despite the lack of humanity, the forest thrived with life and vigor. All kinds of animals inhabited the forest from deer to rabbits to robins to wolves and so much more. Remus saw a stag and a doe that he could have sworn were the same two animals he saw with Harry the morning after James' and Lily's deaths. Remus inhaled the forest air and it was so different from the air in the city. It was much cleaner smelling and that catered to his favor.

"How much longer, Moony?" asked Sirius.

"We're not far from it. Just a bit longer," assured Remus. "I want you to know that where I'm taking you is somewhere truly special and I hope that this won't be the only time I'll take you there. It's a place I like to go to so I can sort out my emotions and priorities."

Within a short while, they came to a clearing that seemed to be a grove of sorts. It was not much larger than the size of the parlor at Grimmauld Place. Surrounded entirely by trees, wild flowers bloomed in various places throughout it with the occasional tree rising within the clearing, itself. The grass was rather soft and there were a few small boulders which ostensibly acted as seats for someone wishing to take a rest from their journey within the forest. On the other side of the clearing was a cliff that was rather high up. From it, one could see for miles. Sirius knew that this had to be the destination.

"Well, here it is," confirmed Remus. "This is where I would always go when I needed solace. I would come here and contemplate my life and always leave with a better feeling in my heart. There's something about this grove… It's just a special place to me. I hope you like it as much as I do, Padfoot."

Sirius knew not what to say. He agreed with Remus that the grove was rather beautiful and although he typically did not appreciate this sort of thing, something within him absolutely adored the place. It was axiomatic to him that Remus obviously had a very special place in his heart for it and if he loved it than so would he. Admitting his feelings, he infused his voice with a tone of sincerity that spoke to Remus' heart.

"Remus, it's spectacular," confessed Sirius as he stepped along the edge of the cliff.

Remus was sitting on one of the boulders, smiling at his lover. Being back in this place brought a peculiar sensation of nostalgia to him for it had been quite some time since he had last been here. A part of Remus felt that his true home was the wild and that it would always exist within him, but it has nothing to do with his lycanthropy for it is something much more. It is within this wilderness that he lived and suffered for four years after leaving Hogwarts. This place was where he made his memories and pieced together the shards of his broken soul, forming whom himself. Whenever he finds himself returning to this hallowed place, a light blazes within him and it reminds him of whom he truly is.

"Something told me that you would love it and now I know for sure," smiled Remus as he walked to Sirius and stood behind him, wrapping his arms around his lover's waist, and rested his chin upon his lover's forehead. Sirius placed his hand on Remus' hand and exhaled deeply. As the spring air flowed in to his lungs, his senses awakened and he thought of just how salient Remus was to his life.

"I love you," said Sirius.

"As do I to you, my love," answered Remus with a tone contained an adamant confidence.

"I plan on spending the rest of my days with you. You're the one I'll spend forever with," confessed Sirius honestly.

The two men stood in silent embrace for the longest time as they remained upon the cliff overlooking the valleys before them. The light of love echoed within both their hearts, illuminating their entire bodies and souls with its warmth and soothing sensation. There was no need for words for they each understood the love between them and its everlasting state. They would occasionally whisper to one another of this love they shared, further confirming its existence and salience within their respective lives. It was as if both of them were in the afterlife, only needing the company of one another as if no one else mattered.

"You have no idea how much you mean to me, Remus…"

"Sirius, there have been so many nights that I'd lay in self-loathing, hating myself for things that I could not control. I saw myself just as the world sees me – an outcast, a pariah, a freak, but now I know that society no longer matters. Only you and Harry matter to me. Sirius, because you love me, I finally love myself," confessed Remus.

"Remus… that's the most wonderful thing that anyone's ever told me," admitted Sirius as a few subtle tears glistened within his eyes. "How could anyone hate you, Moony?"

"I spent a lot of nights the past four years wishing that I was dead, but now I'm here and I'm with you and I know that all that pain and sorrow and suffering led me to where I am now," began Remus.

"I recall when you told me that I am a wolf with a lamb's heart. Every time I think of that, I believe it more and more. I'm not the monster that society sees me as," said Remus.

"Of course you're not, Moony. You're so much more than some pathetic stereotype. I can tell you right now that, to me, you're an amazing friend and lover. And of course, to Harry, you're a brilliant father. Where would that boy be without you, Moony? Where would I be without you?"

Remus smiled as a love flooded his heart even more than it already had and a single tear fell from his amber eyes. He kissed his lover on the cheek and continued to hold him, gazing out at the vast wilderness before them. Nothing could ruin this moment. A love with the force of heaven erupted within them, echoing all across the land. Remus thought of Harry and remembered his promise to himself concerning the boy.

"I want to bring Harry here. The three of us could come and bond. If only it were that easy to take him out of our home without worrying that someone is going to try to hurt him… I remember when he was lost and we were both crying. I envisioned taking him to this forest and I promised myself that when we found him, I would live up to that commitment. I still want to, but I know that we can't risk exposing him to the outside world," sighed Remus.

"We have good reason for keeping him away from it – his safety. When he's older, maybe then we can take him on that camping trip you fantasized about."

'Yeah," smiled Remus as he smelled the skin of his lover's neck, perceiving the scent he loved.

Sirius turned around and the two of them began kissing. They took a few steps backward, standing in the middle of the grove and away from the cliff, concentrating heavily on their love for another. It was as if nothing else mattered. It was just the two of them alone in the wild, lacking any responsibility at the present moment. Their only commitment was to one another and they intended to embrace it. They fell to the grass below them with Remus on the bottom and Sirius atop him, indulging in one another's erotic pleasure. Both their eyes reflected in one another's, representing the devotion they shared and with another kiss, they felt as though time had stopped for them. They could not get enough of the one another's touch and so they continued to kiss.

As dusk approached, the two of them had watched the sunset over the western mountains for the night was falling upon the land and it was now time to return home to their bloved godson whom meant the world to both of them. Holding hands, they apparated to Grimmauld Place and once they were within it, they found Hagrid sitting on the sofa, joyously watching Harry as he played on the carpet with the pigmypuffs. The sound of the child's laughter further graced their hearts as they stood in the doorway before calling out to Hagrid.

"Hagrid, we're back," notified Sirius.

'Oh, well. I guess it's time fer me to get goin' than. Did you two have yourselves a good time?"

'Most certainly," answered Sirius as he smiled at Remus.

"Well, Harry was wonderful. He really loves my pets. I didn't bring me hippogriff nor me unicorn, but he seems to love me pigmypuffs," laughed Hagrid as he rose from the sofa and began to collect his tiny pets from the carpet, putting them back in their cage. "Well, Harry. I gotta get goin' and I hope ya had fun tonight."

Harry giggled and Sirius answered for him.

"I'm sure he did, Hagrid. You really are spectacular with him. Maybe someday he'll grow up to be a researcher of magical creatures."

"Oh, I'm not that great, but I try to be. Anyways, Professor Dumbledore should be payin' ya a visit any day now and also, Snape asked me to give this to you, Remus," said Hagrid as he pulled a bottle of the advanced wolfsbane potion out of his pocket. "I forgot to give it to ya when I first arrived earlier."

"Thank you, Hagrid. Please give Severus my regards."

'Will do, sir," said Hagrid as he escorted himself out, waving goodbye to Harry.

"I'm sure glad that we do have a least a few people that we can trust to be around our godson," said Sirius.

"I'm sure in time, we'll have more. When Harry goes to Hogwarts, he'll make a few close friends that will stick with him," assured Remus.

"Of course he will. He'll have his dad's social graces," laughed Sirius.

"Oh boy, I just hope he doesn't have James' lack of responsibility and disregard for rules," admitted Remus.

"Oh, I'll be sure that he does," winked Sirius before he patted his lover on the shoulder and went in to the kitchen to cook dinner. Remus, alone in the parlor with Harry, gazed down at his tiny godson and smiled.

"Harry, if you only knew how loved you are, my boy. Your mum and dad wouldn't want you to be anywhere else in the world. Sirius and I will raise you to be the man they would want you to be," smiled Remus as he lifted Harry in to his arms. "Come on, let's go see what Sirius is cooking."

That night after they were bathed and relaxed, Remus and Sirius lay upon Sirius' bed. They were clothed only in their underwear and stared at one another. With Harry fast asleep in his room, the two men decided to spend the night appreciating one another and their bond as friends and as lovers.

"I never get tired of staring at you, Moony," said Sirius.

"Nor do I of you, Padfoot," laughed Remus. He kissed his lover on the cheek. Sirius blushed before running his hand through Remus' shabby, brown hair.

Both of them were silently recalling all the times they lay next to one another in an embrace, an intrinsic event in any relationship. As delightful as all of those times were, they meant little when compared to the present for now the two of them were truly and eternally a couple, as they swore to one another that they would be, promising never to leave one another for anything.

"How sumptuous your love is, Sirius," said Remus.

"As long as I'm with you, I'm happy," smiled Sirius.

"As am I," agreed Remus.

Sirius grasped his lover's hands, holding them within his own as an expression of sheer joy formed upon his face, reflecting the cheerfulness within his heart. His beautiful grey eyes shone in the light from the candles, and he kissed Remus. Remus, never ceasing to avoid Sirius' kisses, obliged by returning the kiss and he filled it with so much passion and so much honesty. They were each completely comfortable within the presence of one another and kept the amiability of their relationship even though the elements of romance and eros were added to it. Despite being lovers, they were still the best of friends and they both knew that no one would ever come between them. They never forgot their friendship nor would they ever forget it; it was the very basis for their romance.

"Sirius, you work so hard all the time tending to Harry, cooking for us, cleaning for us, spending your money on us and allowing us to live in your house," began Remus. "I don't know if I'll ever be able to show you my gratitude enough."

"Remus, you do all of those things just as much for Harry and I as I do for you. Your love and company is enough of a payment for me and my home is your home. You have no reason to not feel entirely comfortable in this house. You're gonna be living here with me forever, unless of course we move somewhere else."

"I'll go wherever you go, love," said Remus.

"I know you will," smiled Sirius as he rubbed the side of Remus' face with his own hand. "We're gonna be there for each other until the very end."

"And even after that," smiled Remus.

"Exactly," agreed Sirius before he kissed his lover on the cheek again.

"Right now, I'm looking at the love of my life," said Remus.

"And I'm looking at the love of mine," agreed Sirius, whom smiled.

The night had only begun and the two lovers continued to embrace one another, surrendering to each other all personal privacy and trusting that the other would treat the gift with the most sincere form of love and that they did. Late in to the night, they gave to one another a pleasure unlike anything either of them had ever felt and thus, satisfying a particular type of need which is customary of human nature; nothing more, nothing less. They each dispelled their respective emotional barriers, allowing the other to penetrate the deepest reaches of themselves. Never had either of them met someone who understood him so well, so wholly, so extraordinarily and this made the bonding process much easier than it would be for a relationship with any other person. It was as if both their souls willingly intertwined with one another, sealing their destiny as soul mates and what a gorgeous sight it was. Eventually, the two of them dozed off in to the world of dreams after an intense form of bonding that lit up the entire night for each of them. It was a night filled with passion and understanding. First, Remus did and then Sirius followed shortly after. For the remainder of the night, they slept peacefully by each other's side, restoring their respective bodies' energy for the day to come. What each of them felt was true love – love for one another, love for Harry, and love for the precious gift of life, itself.


	7. Birthday Bliss

Across the terrain, the few remaining streaks of sunlight barely bestowed light to the evening. Dusk had fallen and it looked as though rain was about to pour from the darkening sky. Not a single soul was anywhere in sight, with the exception of one man whom was standing along the edge of the lake. To him, the black water was a metaphor for his heart, a beating sustainer of life that was shrouded in shadows. Dressed in his long, black trench coat, Severus Snape stared out at the grand wilderness before him. Beyond the lake, there were mountains. A sight so sublime and so intimate yet so depressing for Snape stood not in soul searching, but in mourning. He felt tears forming within his dark eyes, but for some reason, they ceased to escape those very eyes. Snape thought of all the people he helped Voldemort to torture and kill, but one particular person resonated within his conscious mind, antagonizing his sanity beyond limits.

"Lily…" whispered Snape to himself.

It was as if it took a great amount of strength to even so much as mutter that name to himself. His mind, numb with depression and self-loathing, ached him and it was as if all the happieness he had ever felt in his life vanished from this physical plane, leaving him with only darkness and despair.

"As the night begins, separate me from those whom dwell in light and joy. I am bound to the shadows for I can never walk in the light, at least not until Lily forgives me…"

An image of a beautiful, young woman with long, flowing red hair and eyes of the most gorgeous shade of green stood before him. Her face bore an expression of both silence and of love. Snape had his eyes fixated on her and reached out his hand, hoping that she would take hold of it. Within seconds, she vanished. In his mind, Snape knew that the woman was not real for he was only hallucinating. Distressed, he held his hand over his face and began to sob in silence. He felt as though his soul was crying out for death to snatch him, to terminate his physical life and abruptly kill the body in which his soul inhabited. He had no personal reason to want to remain trapped in the body he inhabited for he constantly was tormented over the grief and anguish he felt over Lily's death and his role in it.

"Lily, it's my fault that you're dead… I tried to save you, but I couldn't. I hope you can hear me; you've departed this world, but I'm still here. I want to die just so that I can apologize to you, even if you want nothing to do with me," sobbed Snape as he repeatedly slashed his finger nails against his wrist.

Something sparked within the anguished man and he suddenly remembered that he did have a reason to remain in this world - Harry. He recalled his promise to Dumbledore that he would do all that he could to protect the boy from the Dark Lord and his inevitable return to power. The boy would need protected for the Dark Lord would surely desire more so than anything to kill him as an act of vengeance.

"Harry… I need to protect him," began Snape as he adamantly stared down at his pathetic hands. He wondered what those hands purpose were. For destruction? No, he vowed to never use them to kill or harm anyone ever again. He would use them only to save lives and fulfill the tasks of everyday living, which he was cursed to endure for next fifty, sixty, seventy years that he would be bound to this earth. "Lily… I won't allow him to harm your son," swore Snape as he gazed at the sky, hoping that somehow the love of his life could hear him. His soul was scarred and the detriment was blatantly obvious. He no longer had any desire to socialize with anyone. All that he wanted was Lily and he could not have her. He stood in subtle silence, his emotions caught in a state of ambivalence for they were torn between sorrow, sadness, and anger. These three emotions would haunt him for the remainder of his days in this world.

"Lily… forgive me."

At Grimmauld Place, Sirius was acting his usual self for he was rolling around on the carpet with Harry, acting like a child as Remus merely rolled his eyes and smiled before going to his study to finish an intricate work of literature that he was reading. Sirius held Harry while speaking in an exaggerated tone as if he were a child himself, causing Harry to squeal with laughter. The heart of the child was so pure, so innocent, so untainted. Sirius frequently acted in this manner, catering to Harry's need to be around other children for half the time, Sirius acted like a child, himself.

"Sirs," called Harry, still struggling to pronounce Sirius' name properly. Shortly after, Remus appeared back in the doorway and watched the two of them play before Sirius turned his head to his lover.

"What?" asked Sirius.

"Nothing, it's just that sometimes, I feel like I'm the only adult in this house," said Remus.

"Sometimes you are," laughed Sirius, whom was suddenly hit in the head by a ball. Remus tried not to laugh as Harry stood, guilty as charged for throwing it at Sirius.

"You little… Agh!" shouted Sirius as he lunged at Harry, wrapping him in his arms and tickling him, acting as the catalyst for child's uncontrollable laughter. The life they were now leading was much more comfortable and smooth-running than the life they led when they first became a family after James' and Lily's deaths. All seemed s well as if nothing could potentially go wrong.

"What are you laughing at?" asked Sirius to his boyfriend.

"He hit you with that ball," pointed out Remus.

Sudeenly and from out of nowhere, Remus was hit in the head with the very same ball. He looked over and Harry stood with his hand over his mouth, giving his best attempt at not seeming guilty. Sirius burst out laughing and Remus grinned, trying to conceal his own amusement.

"Moony, get down here and join us," called Sirius.

Although he tried to seem reluctant, Remus took great joy in the thought of playing with them on the floor, surrendering his pride and agreeing.

"Why not?" asked Remus. He threw himself upon the floor and cuddled with Harry as Sirius joined in. It was the most adorable sight ever.

"Somebody has a birthday coming up!" alerted Sirius. It was now nearing the end of the seventh month and Harry would soon be an official two year-old. "Does anyone know who I'm talking about?"

"Me!" shouted Harry.

"Yeah!" shouted Sirius.

"I'm gonna get you a broom and a pet dragon and a crystal ball and a mountain made of chocolate…" went on Sirius. Harry's eyes opened wide with excitement and anticipation, as he seemed unable to control his glee.

"Well, you could just give me the mountain of chocolate," interrupted Remus.

"Anything for my Moony," replied Sirius.

Harry's attention was fixated purely upon Sirius as he went on about everything he would buy for the boy. When Sirius finished, Harry abruptly attempted to wrap his tiny arms around his godfather, expressing his gratefulness and appreciation for everything Sirius was promising. The child made it obvious that he adored his guardians and would be completely and entirely lost without them.

"Harry is going to have the best birthday he could ever imagine," swore Sirius. Remus smiled and a certain sentiment existed across his face, showing his agreement for Sirius' declaration.

The day went by and most of it was spent playing with Harry. Sirius and Remus devoted much time to entertaining the ever-growing child and for themselves, it was a form of entertainment, itself. Still by conventional standards, Harry was rather well-behaved compared to many children his age and rarely did anything truly naughty, like the time he threw pasta in Remus' hair, causing Sirius to burst out laughing and nearly join in the fun until Remus glared at him. Overall, Harry was a great child and Remus adored him and saw him as his own son, despite his childish flaws.

That night when Harry was asleep, Sirius and Remus prepared themselves for bed and when they lay down, thye began to discuss Harry's birthday, which was in only a few days.

"This is gonna be even better than Christmas," vowed Sirius.

"Am I going to have to carry all the bags while you shop, Pads?" asked Remus.

"Of course, than you can just store them in our infinite-space bag."

"Oh joy," laughed Remus.

"What do you plan on getting Harry for his birthday?"

"I'm not entirely sure yet. I'll have to wait until we go to Diagon Alley. I'm sure there's a lot to choose from."

"It's going to be brilliant. Damn bloody brilliant…"

"I've saved up some money to buy Harry presents and I'm still hoping you keep your word about buying that chocolate mountain, Pads."

"Don't worry. I will. I'm so lucky that my boyfriend is a sweet-toothed werewolf," smiled Sirius as he threw his arm around Remus' shoulder before kissing him.

The next day, due to Hagrid's unavailability, the two of them invited an unlikely guest, a friend of Dumbledore's name Arabella Figg, to watch their beloved godson while they were away. Kissing Harry upon the forehead, the two of them left after bidding him farewell and introducing him to Miss Figg.

At Diagon Alley, Remus and Sirius journeyed from store to store, buying Harry many wonderful gifts. Just like at Christmas, Sirius carried almost nothing, even though he was the one spending most of the money, while Remus was stuck carrying the gifts until they were bought and paid for and he put them in his infinite storage space wallet. At the candy store, Sirius bought a great amount of sweet treats and Remus felt entirely at home, admiring all the sugary delicacies that surrounded him, particularly the chocolate. Sirius bought Harry the most delectable cake. It had white, creamy icing and was chocolate (to Remus' delight) interior. Atop it were the words "Happy Birthday, Harry!" written in large red letters. Before returning to Grimmauld Place, they stopped at the Leaky Cauldron to eat an early dinner. Sitting down, they were served by a young witch, whom was waiting tables fro a living.

"Give me a large beer," requested Sirius apathetically.

"I'll have a steamed tea," ordered Remus politely.

The waitress went off to get their drinks as they each examined the menu. Sirius began smiling for some peculiar reason, provoking his lover to ask him just what it was that was so funny. Sirius gave another chuckle before pushing back his long, black hair. What could be so funny in the middle of a restaurant in the early evening?

"Harry," laughed Sirius. "threw a ball at your head!"

Remus stared at him in bewilderment., raising his brow.

"You're still laughing about that, Pads?"

"Yeah…"

"Well, wait. He threw a ball at your head too."

"That makes it even funnier," burst Sirius, still trying to contain his laughter and not succeeding.

"Alright," said Remus whom began to laugh himself at the randomness of the situation. Sirius had a way of constantly bringing humor to daily living and that was something Remus found truly attractive about him.

They each ordered a meal. Remus simply ordered a grilled turkey sandwich, while Sirius ordered vegetarian pizza. The food was being prepared in the kitchen while the two men sat, conversing in their typical amiable manner. Topics as simple or generic as the weather could spark a deep conversation between the two men, which could span hours and evolve in to much deeper, more meaningful themes.

"I can just imagine the look on Harry's face tomorrow when he sees all the gifts we got hm," said Sirius. "He'll be occupied until next Christmas."

"Yeah, he will be," agreed Remus. "I got him a few gifts, myself. I saved up for quite some time to afford them."

"Moony, you don't need to spend money. Trust me, I know youy struggle and you're very poor, but that's why I have so much from my family's fortune. Trust me, there's no reason for you to spend your own. Harry will understand your personal financial situation when he's older."

"I just… the only reason I can't get a job is because of my condition. Society frowns upon people like me working in public. I wish I could help us out more financially, but you know…"

"Moony, it's fine," smiled Sirius as he reached across the table, setting his hand upon his lover's shoulder.

"That's not the only reason I want to spend what little money I do have buying Harry gifts that are solely from me. I want to give him gifts that are from me and only from me so that he'll have them to remind of how much I love him," confessed Remus warmly.

"Moony, Harry doesn't need gifts to know that you love him. He thinks the world of you already."

"Thanks, Padfoot. That means a lot," replied Remus with honesty.

Their food arrived shortly after and the two of them enjoyed their meal, as an indie rock band performed up on a small stage, singing angst songs about life. After their meal was finished, Sirius and Remus left the bill on the table and escorted themselves out before apparating back home.

Once home, they found Harry fast asleep as Miss Figg sat at their dining room table with her hands neatly folded.

"The little dear was lovely, boys. Before I go, I wanted to give this to you," said Miss Figg as she pulled a small, bright orange package from her purse, handing it to Sirius.

"Well, thank you, ma'am. Here's your pay," said Sirius whom gave the woman a bit of gold for her kind deed.

Once she left, Sirius and Remus sat in the parlor, staring at all the gifts they had bought for Harry and there were a great many. By owl came a few gifts from Dumbledore, Hagrid, Mcgonagall, and even Snape. Remus began to wrap them as Sirius went to make sure that Harry was fast asleep in his bedroom before coming back to the parlor to join Remus. While wrapping the presents, he began to fantasize about teaching Harry how to play quidditch.

"Moony, do you think our lad is a bit young to be playing quidditch?"

"You really expect me to answer that?"

"I know he's two, but I just think he's beyond his years!"

"Padfoot, you make me laugh."

"I'm a bit overly optimistic, I will admit."

"I'll say," agreed Remus.

Within the next hour and a half, the two men had accomplished their misison in wrapping all the presents and setting them atop the dining room table. Harry was still fast asleep and with the night still young, Sirius winked at Remus suggestively. Remus had just sat the cake, still in its container, upon the table.

"Moony, whataya say we go upstairs and have some fun?"

"I say that I like the way you speak, Padfoot."

"You're so sexy when you're romantic," blushed Sirius.

"Thanks."

The next day at around noon, Remus and Sirius went down to the dining room, admiring the many gifts sat upon the table. The great multitude of colors from the presents shone in the light from the chandelier, acting as a prism.

"Harry's gonna piss himself with excitement," said Sirius.

"Do you want to go get him or should I?" asked Remus.

Harry, whom was playing up in his room was not allowed in the dining room all morning for the door had been shut and the curious child continuously wondered what was behind it. Sirius, smiling happily, exclaimed that he wanted to fetch Harry.

"I'll get him. I have a blindfold. I'll bring him down here and than I'll un-blindfold him and ta-da! You wait here and act all happy and stuff when he gets here, alright?"

Remus nodded and smiled. Sirius went to go get his anxious godson, climbing the stairs until he stood outside Harry's room. Knocking on the door, he allowed himself in and found Harry stretched out on the carpet, looking at the book of magical creatures that Hagrid had given him for Christmas. The boy looked up and Sirius saw his eyes twinkling with both innocence and delight.

"Harry, I have to show you something, but first I need you to put on this blindfold."

"Okay!" exclaimed the boy, jumping up and doing what his godfather requested of him. Sirius tied the bright, blue blindfold across Harry's eyes and lifted him in to his arms, taking him downstairs before entering the dining room. Sirius then untied it and Harry opened his eyes to see all the gifts before him. Remus was sitting at the table with an expression of joy upon his face. Harry was speechless before demonstrating a wide gasp. "FOR ME?"

"Yes, for you," said Sirius. "Who else would all this be for, Dudley? Yeah right… Go open your presents, kiddo!" as Sirius sat Harry on a chair and the child began tearing away all the wrapping paper. His face was constantly lit up with joy and by the time he was done opening all the presents, he kept looking back and forth, examining them and trying to decide which one was his favorite. What surprised Sirius and Remus was Snape's gift. It was a white colored necklace with a green pendant upon it. Etched in to the pendant was what looked like a doe. Harry's guardians did not know whether to be touched or disturbed by the gift, each wondering why Snape had sent him that. When every gift was opened, Remus cleaned up the wrapping paper and took the lid off the cake and lit the candles.

"Blow out the candles and make a wish, Harry," said Remus.

"And make it a good one!" asserted Sirius.

"I wish for us to live together forever!" exclaimed Harry as he blew out the candles. Both Remus and Sirius were surprised and touched by the child's wish. They had expected something, much more selfish, something much more childish… Harry had just openly admitted that he loved both of them and wished to stay with them forever.

"Harry, you're not supposed to say what you wished for," said Remus.

"Did I do wrong?" asked Harry.

"No, you're fine, you're fine. Just next year when you make your wish, don't say what it is, okay?"

"Okay," smiled Harry.

Sirius and Remus stared at one another and the their lack of words screamed the revelation which was just bestowed upon them. Although Harry clearly did not remember James and Lily, he now truly saw his godfathers as his parents or some kind of equivalent to such a thing.

The cake was cut and the three of them indulged in its sweet delicacy. It was Harry's first birthday while living with Remus and Sirius and it was a brilliant occasion, graced with a solace of the finest kind. It was just how James and Lily would want it to be. Such a joyous and powerful day contained such sheer beauty, which erupted from the hearts of the three souls whom dwelled together. Photographs were taken, memories were made, and Harry had what seemed to be his best day in a long time. Harry spent the rest of the day playing with his many gifts and indulging in sweet treats.

"He sure is happy," smiled Remus, whom had his arm wrapped around his lover's waist.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," stated Sirius.

Harry spent the remainder of the night enjoying himself and bonding with his guardians until he fell asleep in Remus' arms and was carried off to bed. Remus and Sirius each kissed him on the forehead, per usual, and turned off the light before shutting his bedroom door and simultaneously muttering "We love you, Harry."

Later that night, Severus Snape stood atop one of the towers at Hogwarts, staring up at the moon. Many stars were shining brightly in the sky and numerous constellations were visible. Like a solar sea, the infinite darkness surrounded Snape, both literally and metaphorically. His soul was still coated purely in blackness as he was desperately remorseful over the death of his one true love. He was haunted by that tragedy and never would he rest until the day he died. Cloaked entirely in black, he flawlessly blended in with the night. Within his hand, he held an old, worn photograph of himself and Lily standing together in their third year at Hogwarts. It was strenuous and difficult to amass the bravery to look at the photograph and when he did, he had to fight back the tears that so desperately wanted to fall from his eyes. The warm summer air seemed to numb his face as his mind seared with anguish. If only the world could see the pain behind his eyes, maybe it wouldn't judge him for being the way he is. He thought of Harry and the fact that it was the child's birthday, the day Lily was given the greatest gift she ever received - her child.

"Happy birthday, Harry. Enjoy your gift. I hope that when you're older, it will remind you of your mother and how much she loved you."

His whisper contained the same ominous tone that his voice in general harbored unceasingly. Finally gaining the willpower to look at the photograph in his hand, he stared at it adamantly. Something in him wanted to rip the half of it which contained himself. He did not deserve to be standing next to someone so beautiful, someone so magnificent, someone so succulent as Lily.

"Lily, here I am all these months after your death and I'm still grieving for you. I wish I could bring you back, but I can't," confessed Snape, his voice trembling. "I promise that I won't ever let the Death Eaters hurt your son. Lily, I'm sorry… for everything. I wish I was dead."

He swept his hand through his hair and gazed in to the night. His spirit longed to be free, to leave this body and venture out in to the great darkness that is death so that he could search for the one light in all the infinite blackness - Lily. Would she accept him and grant him the forgiveness he desires so extremely or would she shun him and scorn him for what he had done. If only he knew that the prophecy referred to the Potters than he would have never told Voldemort of its existence. Overcome with grief from his sorrow, he bowed his head as tears streamed from his eyes, falling placidly to the floor as he cried in silence away from the prying eyes of the world. No one needed to know about his pain. The only one who did know was Dumbledore and he was sworn to secrecy. Snape would never forgive himself for what he had done and how it led to Lily's death As much as he hated James, the whom bullied him tumultuously as an adolescent and robbed him of the love of his life, he even longed for James to be alive if it meant that Lily would be also. He stood under the moonlight, crying until there were tears left. Despite the lack of them, his sorrow was just as great and just as heavy as it always was. Never ceasing to mourn and to regret, he muttered one final thing to himself before going back inside.

"I will never forgive myself until the day I die and I see you, Lily, and you are kind enough to grant me forgiveness. After all this time, I still love you and I will forever more. Always…"


End file.
